Saturday was a very happy afternoon in Worthing. I was delighted to join the Mayor of Worthing, Chairman of Adur and our ubiquitous town crier Bobby Smytherman at the Glamour Club at St Stephens Church in Broadwater. The brainchild of the irrepressible Janice Moth the Club bills itself as ‘A great night our during the day’ and ambitiously promises to ‘ignite a burning fire in the hearts and minds of every member of our community to join us on our mission to eradicate loneliness and loneliness caused by social isolation.’
And my goodness it lived up to its billing. I had been asked to visit by Janice when I bumped into her at the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week in Worthing last year and I was intrigued to go along. With uplifting music, dancing (including by yours truly) and more sandwiches and cream cakes than you could shake a stick at everyone had a fantastic time.
One of the longer lasting and more damaging consequences of the pandemic and lockdown was the way it exacerbated loneliness for those particularly dependant on social networks to get out of the house. Loneliness is a pandemic in itself and can impact greatly on people’s mental health. During lockdown communities rallied round and neighbours knocked on doors of elderly people particularly those living alone to see if they needed help with shopping, picking up medicines and the like. Just as we proved we can do it then during times of adversity surely we can carry that on now when society has opened up again and we need more Glamour Clubs across our towns, every week.
Alas I had to prise myself away from the dance floor early to attend the induction and installation of Reverend Allie Moore at Findon Valley’s Free Church. Again, there was plenty of love in the air for the newly confirmed minister and plenty of uplifting music followed by cream tea, if a little less dancing. Allie’s story of her journey to ministry is equally uplifting one and I wish her well in her new role.
