The Lavender Club is held on a fortnightly basis within Woodhouse Close Church Community Centre.
The group was set up in July 2022 by stroke survivors as a place to meet as there are no stroke clubs run by the NHS in this area, the closest being in Stanley.
The group provides verbal interaction, quizzes and guest speakers to keep members active and involved. It brings like minded people together to offer support and friendship by offering compassion, empathy and a safe space to meet and have fun.
Peer support groups play an important role in stroke recovery and are unique as the shared experiences enable them to understand others and allow them to provide and receive relevant emotional, affirmational and informational support. These groups are proven to be beneficial as they provide a sense of personal growth and feel like they are making a difference to someone else’s life.
After a stroke, many survivors and their care givers suddenly face new challenges, becoming increasingly aware of their new cognitive deficits and loss of functional abilities.
Social support has been linked to better functional outcomes for stroke survivors and a greater sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem for both stroke survivors and care givers.
Care givers also have increased burdens from daily care co-ordination, isolation from social networks and changes in their roles and relationships. As a result, depression may be more common in stroke care givers than in stroke survivors.
The Lavender Club provide a fortnightly group on Fridays (next meeting is 26 April) from 10.30am until 12 noon.
They meet at Woodhouse Close Community Centre, providing tea, coffee, cake and friendly chatter for £3 per session to cover the hall hire and refreshments.
Anyone interested can contact Cindy on 07453 982288 to find out more, or just pop along.
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