Tapestry Day Club

The Tapestry Day Club is a not-for-profit social enterprise offering support to the older people of Haslemere and the surrounding towns and villages. It is a warm and caring social club where good food can be enjoyed in a safe place where friendships can be made. The club offers high quality small group day support for older people in the comfort and safe environment of a family home.

It was founded by Clare Jones and Anderley Wade, both of whom had experience of a close family member who had either lived with dementia or who felt socially isolated and lonely. The name - Tapestry Day Club - encapsulates the idea that every one has a life story, a rich personal tapestry, which they can share with a small group during a day enjoying a delicious home cooked lunch.

How they work:

For many people struggling with loneliness and social isolation, and who may also be experiencing memory issues such as dementia, large community centres can be overwhelming and create unnecessary anxiety. Through small and intimate group sizes, the Tapestry Club aim to give people the time and space to feel at ease, flourish, form lasting friendships and feel valued.

The Tapestry Club focuses on guests' abilities and not their inabilities. It gives them the space to gain confidence, become energised, re-engage, find their voices and be heard.

Guests will be picked up from their homes between 9.30 and 10.30 am. They will then spend the day in the hosts' home.  First they will enjoy morning coffee or tea, allowing them to have time to relax and enjoy meeting or catching up with the other guests. The day will have some structure but will be unhurried and unfold at it’s own pace. Hosts will be sensitive and considerate of all their guests’ interests, needs and capabilities. 

Guests will then enjoy a delicious home-cooked lunch. This is an integral part and highlight of the day. Lunch is never rushed but rather savoured as a time to enjoy each others company and share and exchange stories. After lunch, guests might enjoy a game of scrabble, dominos or cards, listening to music or something creative such as painting - or just whatever they want to do.

At either 2.30 pm or 3.30 pm, the host will drive the guest home. 

How to help:

The Tapestry Club relies on their network of hosts. Their hosts come from a variety of backgrounds. Hosts need to be kind, compassionate and resourceful. In particular they need to be empathetic, sensitive, good listeners, enablers and to be positive and warm with all. Hosts will not only be central to the guests themselves, but they will also be involved with their wider family and friends and so become an integral part in all their lives.

All hosts will be fully assessed to ensure that they have homes with easy access, a downstairs bathroom and have a 5-door car with a full driving licence.

A vital part of becoming a host is to successfully complete training in Emergency at Work 1st Aid; Food Safety Level II; Safeguarding Adults; Awareness of Mental Health, Dementia & Learning Disabilities; Moving & Assisting of People and the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Awareness course. In addition to taking up references, the Tapestry Club conduct an Enhanced DBS check and provide ongoing mentoring, support and training.

Tapestry Day Clubs operate between Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am and 5pm. Hosts choose which days they would like to welcome between two and six guests into their home. As an employee, a host will enjoy all the benefits that provides, including paid holidays and pension contributions. All hosts are well remunerated and will receive an additional food allowance and mileage expenses.

The Tapestry Club also has some amazing volunteers as part of their team, who work either in the host’s home or as support drivers.