October 2024
Williams Club of Farnham October 2024
The Williams Club of Farnham has had a great 2024 thus far! We have welcomed lots of new people with interest being shown from beyond the borders of Farnham. Whilst the Club was originally intended only for people in Farnham, times have changed, and with the closure of the Blind Club in Aldershot and there being few similar groups on the horizon, the Williams Club can fill a void for people with sight issues. We meet monthly on the first Wednesday (except August) and provide a variety of activities and entertainment. This is followed by a sumptuous afternoon tea which is kindly provided by local churches and service clubs.
Most meetings are held at the Farnham Baptist Church between 2pm and 4pm. January saw a fascinating talk from Sue Leach and Nick Swann about the English Civil War and how it affected life in Farnham. Period costumes and artifacts were available for members to try on and ponder over. In February, we had a visit from Ellie Hayes (Surrey Fire & Rescue), with very useful and practical advice about how to stay safe in the home. April was a musical afternoon with talented pianist Chris Snelling and in May we enjoyed an in-house games afternoon which included beetle drive and dominos.
In September, we had our biennial visit from Surrey Sensory Services (formerly Sight For Surrey). The team were accompanied by Stella Black from the Macular Society and a representative from Optilec (a company specialising in optical equipment). The Williams Club and the Macular Society have recently formed a formal alliance as both organisations have similar interests. October saw the return of Geoff Hiscott who led a singsong and, along with a bit of dressing up, encouraged lots of dancing!
The other meetings were a lunch out in March, a Strawberry Tea in May, and a day trip to the seaside in July.
Still to come, we have a quiz and the Christmas party with entertainment by the ladies a cappella group, In Accord.
There is a team of volunteers who provide transport for members to and from the meetings. At the moment this in only available within the Farnham area, so members travelling from further afield need to provide their own. With a wider team of drivers, we could potentially expand this service, so if you would like to help, please get in touch!
Membership of the Williams Club is free and we welcome anyone with any kind of visual impairment.
If you’re interested in joining or volunteering with us, please contact Yvonne on 01252 713671 or Bob on 01252 725685. Or visit our website www.williamsclubfarnham.co.uk