As the weather starts to improve, staying home alone can be a lonely experience so now is the time to find a way of meeting people and making new friends. The Pump House Project, located in Swan Lane, is the perfect place to come along to and take part in a range of events whatever your age.
Every Tuesday morning from 9.30am until 11.30am, The Pump House Project opens their Cake Café and welcomes people of all ages to come along and enjoy company along with a delicious cake and hot drink. They only charge £3 for both as they want to make it affordable for people to have an enjoyable treat. All the cakes are freshly home-made and include gluten-free options.
For those of you who love to craft there will be a casual crafting session also run on a Tuesday morning from 9 January. There will be a designated table or tables for crafters within the Cake Café. Bring whatever you like working on and arrive for 10.45am to give you time to get a drink and of course a slice of mouth-watering cake! The sessions run until 1pm. All for the price of your refreshments at just £3.
The Pump House Project is easily accessible from the Market Place and the hall where activities are held is ideal for people who are less mobile. The Cake Café and Crafty Crew welcomes well behaved dogs too. Do come along and see what a difference you can make to your New Year.
For people who want to get active this spring, throughout the week there are a range of activities held at The Pump House Project:
On a Monday afternoon from 2-3pm, you can play table tennis, whatever your age. It is just £2 per session, and you do not need to book. Come along and have some fun!
Thursday mornings are the time to participate in Dorothy Zwanik’s Balance, Strength, and Wellbeing classes to improve movement for those 65 and over or for people with a long-term health condition. Her classes provide effective, proven community-based exercises to help prevent falls, reduce injury, increase physical strength and balance, along with cognitive function. They run from 10.30am until 11.15am and cost just £5 per class. To book contact Dorothy via email Dorothy.zwanik@gmail.com or call her on 07796207703.
For anyone wanting to combine exercise with dancing, then Adriana Corbett’s Latin American style Zumba Classes are just the thing to get involved in. The class starts at 6.00 pm for a 50-minute class and costs just £6 for a fun way for beginners and experienced dancers alike to exercise and enhance their dancing skills at the same time. To book email Adriana.Corbett@hotmail.co.uk.
If you fancy having a go at Tai Chi Qigong, why not come along on a Friday morning for an hour from 10 am? The classes are run by Janette Saville who has studied the benefits of Tai Chi Qigong for over a decade, discovering how it can bring physical and inner strength to all. Her Friday morning classes combine gentle nurturing movements with stillness, encouraging a calming of the mind and overall experience of well-being. The classes are for those aged 65+ and are only £5 per class. As spaces are limited you will need to book. Contact Jeanette via email at janettesaville@icloude.com or call her on 07720661362. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and sensible footwear.
One of The Pump House Project’s longest running activities is our Urban Movement Academy which is officially affiliated with ParkourUK having three qualified coaches. UMA offers young people aged 5-18 years the chance to participate in the non-competitive physical discipline of training to move freely over and through a terrain using only the abilities of the body. Classes run on Saturday’s during the day and are priced between £8-£12 per session dependent on ability. In addition, Freedom of Movement, a guided parkour session runs from 6-9pm on a Friday evenings for those 11 years and over (adults included!) at just £8 per hour.
There are lots of activities throughout the week for all ages at The Pump House Project so keep a watch on their Facebook page facebook.com/ThePumpHouseProject or call in and see what is on offer. Apart from being able to get involved in various activities you will be able to make new friends too!
If you have not been along to TPHP previously, Swan Lane is just off Church Street or London Street, and the Faringdon Community Bus can drop you off in Swan Lane too (faringdoncommunitybus.co.uk).
