Wivenhoe Over Sixties Club closes after 70 years

The Wivenhoe Over Sixties Club, once that vibrant group of ‘young’ people whose birth certificates confirmed that they were all over 60 years of age and indeed a great many were a lot older than that, sadly decided to fold in early 2020  as their numbers, once over 70 members had dwindled to just 25 people which was not enough to cover its running costs.

The Club used to meet every two weeks in the William Loveless Hall on a Friday. Apart from its regular meetings, sometimes with a speaker or some form of entertainment, there would be outings. In 2019, there were outings to Beth Chatto’s Gardens at Elmstead Market with lunch; afternoon tea at Sue’s, at Holton St. Mary in Suffolk; and joining with The Fingringhoe WI for lunch.  The Over 60s Christmas lunch was just something really special as I well remember because  Wivenhoe’s Town Mayor was always invited as Guest of Honour and, having been Town Mayor on three occasions, my wife and I enjoyed three memorable Christmas lunches with a packed Wm Loveless Hall.

So it is a great sadness that this once wonderful Club has ceased to exist. All good things must come to an end though.  But the Club has left its mark by donating its bank balance, after treating all of its members to one final lunch, to 4 very worthwhile causes. These are the RNLI and the Clacton Lifeboat, the Essex Air Ambulance, the Salvation Army in Colchester, and the Wivenhoe Dementia Support Group. On Thursday, 5th August 2021, at the launch meeting of the Friendly Club & Cafe of which the Dementia Support Group is a lead partner, Pam Townrow, Doreen Everitt and Pat Green presented a cheque for £250 to the newly formed Wivenhoe Dementia Support Group. As Doreen Everitt said “it is very nice to be able to give some money locally to a worthwhile organisation”.