Stuart Halbert Elderberries Room Grand Opening
Words : The Alnwick Garden
A new drop-in centre for older people was officially opened here on 13th October , as we celebrated our 15th birthday .
The smart-looking £ 90,000 facility provides a warm and inviting environment , with a living room , fireplace , comfortable seating , games , puzzles and a flatscreen television , as well as a cooking area with homemade refreshments . The Stuart Halbert Drop-in Centre was funded by the Stuart Halbert Foundation , the Rank Foundation and Sir John and Lady Hall .
It is part of our Elderberries Programme , which aims to address loneliness , isolation and financial hardship among older people in Northumberland and delivers events and opportunities to socialise , promoting a healthy , fulfilled quality of life .
The centre was officially opened by Maureen Halbert , wife of the late Stuart Halbert . It is a place of sanctuary to build new friendships , play games or find someone to talk to . The free facility is open on Thursdays , Fridays and Sundays , 11am to 4pm , and caters for anyone aged over 55 and is manned by our volunteers , including Sue Simpson who manages the centre .
The Duchess of Northumberland was delighted to mark the 15 year milestone and unveil the centre . During the launch ceremony , she said : " This really is a special day for us . I have always said that anybody can build a garden , but the real challenge is in what you do with that garden . The
Alnwick Garden , like any other attraction , has been through its ups and downs , and at times it has been a bit of an obstacle race , but we have come through every time . Today is so important because this is what lies behind The Alnwick Garden . When I received criticism in the early years , I knew it was because nobody would understand what we were doing here , nobody would understand when we talked about older people or children or our enterprise programme - the three charitable programmes that we have here - until they saw them in operation . That is what kept me going . I kept thinking they will see it one day when we have a facility like the Stuart Halbert Drop-in Centre where older people can drop in and have somewhere to sit in the warmth , watch television , have a cup of tea and have someone to talk to , completely free of charge . We must be the only garden in the world that offers this sort of facility . What we are doing here with the local community makes me feel really proud ."
The drop-in centre has certainly proved popular . Elderberries user Sylvia McLoud from Alnwick said the facility was very good , while volunteer Maureen Thompson , who is also from the town , said it was important and it was nice to see elderly people enjoying themselves . Louise Halbert , a director of the Stuart Halbert Foundation , described the Elderberries Programme as very unusual , but very necessary .
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