With cancellations and delays from the pandemic, a decline in membership and the brief closure of the clubroom, Howick Senior Citizens Club (HSCC) desperately needs new life breathed into its walls.
Like many other local and national clubs, HSCC was significantly affected by Covid-19, temporarily stopping their weekly meetings until it was deemed safe to reopen.
A further delay was caused by the club’s premises flooding.
Due to this, and various other reasons, HSCC president Ray Creedy concludes that “we have lost quite a lot of members”.
The club meets every Thursday from 11am-3pm at the Te Whare Ora (Senior Citizens Hall) in Uxbridge to converse, play bingo and have a cuppa.
Creedy told the Times the aim and vision of HSCC is to provide the people who are “getting on” some place to go, something to do and keep the mind and body active.
“There’s a great need for socialisation. When you get older, socialising and companionship is very important.
“A lot of friendships have been formed over the time, outside of the activities of the club. Everyone is welcome.”
Creedy hopes to find somebody, or somebodies, to join the HSCC committee with the same values and beliefs that “we’ve got”, which is “to have a place where people can go to socialise”.
“Not everybody has the time nor desire to do what we do, unfortunately, but everything is done for the benefits of the members. It’s all voluntary.”
The HSCC committee has four key members – the president, a position which Creedy has held for 12 years, the treasurer, secretary and the organiser.
The treasurer and organiser, who also runs the kitchen, is currently conducted by a husband-and-wife team who are stepping down from their roles and need to be replaced.
The club is also looking to fill the roles of president and secretary.
“We want it to carry on because it’s worth fighting for,” Creedy says. “I can see the benefits.”
For more information, contact Creedy on 0226572277.
