Known as Saintara, the retirement association is continuing to thrive with a healthy membership.    

Thanks in part to funding from Chatham Maritime Trust’s Community Fund, members now enjoy a weekly Friday coffee and games morning including short mat bowls, table tennis and a quiz or you can just talk amongst yourselves.   This takes place between 10 am and 1 pm and promotes physical and mental wellbeing  for the over 50s in their retirement. 

Quite a few members live alone so this offers an opportunity for them to socialise and get involved in activities that otherwise they may not get the chance to do.

Current membership is 178 so they have a few vacancies to fill.  If you have any family or friends that would like to join, then they can go along to their Friday morning session to find out more.

Members can enjoy a get together with a guest speaker, a cup of tea and a good old chat on the afternoon of the third Wednesday of every month between 2 pm and 4 pm in the St Mary’s Island Community Centre.

Weekly activities for Members:

• Monday afternoon at 1.30 pm.  Members get together to play petanque on the pitch located adjacent to HMS Chatham Bridge.
• Wednesday.  Line dancing at 1.30 pm (except for the third Wednesday of the month)
• Friday.  In the morning there is short mat bowls, table tennis, scrabble, fun quiz etc.  and in the afternoon Maj-jong and Curling.

So something for everyone to enjoy.

In addition there are pub lunches, cycle rides, day trips and quiz nights and a short holiday is arranged once a year. Over 50’s, retired or semi-retired qualify for membership.

Saintara is also open to non-Island residents. Why not go along to one of the monthly meetings on a trial basis?

For more information visit the Saintara website.  They also publish a monthly newsletter.

Medway Council has produced a booklet called Staying Connected, to provide information to older people about the support that is available and events that are taking place in the community in Medway.  It also contains information about care services, staying connected through volunteering and a lot more.