Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) is keen to highlight the good news stories coming through from the Leeds Welcome Spaces Scheme. This winter over 200 Third and Faith Sector organisations have opened their doors to the public to offer a safe, warm and welcoming space. 

The fourth in our 2025/26 blog series focus is on Harewood and Thorner Over 60’s Association.

Sue and Margaret are regulars at the popular Thorner Over 60’s coffee morning each week. It’s held to coincide with the visit by the Post Office, a vital service since the village Post Office closed a few years ago. Both are volunteers for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and come accompanied by their dogs in training. Margaret has been training hearing dogs for eight years, Sue for nine. The dogs stay with them for anything from six to eighteen months while they are doing the final stage of their training before ultimately being placed with a person with hearing loss.

Margaret and Sue with hearing dogs Winnie and Star.

Bringing the dogs to the Over 60’s gives them experience of being in a busy environment and raises the profile of the charity with the members and others who come to the weekly activities there. Plus, it’s a welcome place for Sue and Margaret to drop in for a chat. They regularly take the dogs into cafes, pubs and restaurants. It gives the dogs the opportunity to practice. They learn to calmly say hello to people and other dogs and to be composed and sit. Of course, members at The Bungalow, home to the Over 60’s Association, enjoy meeting the dogs too. They’ve held a talk about the work of the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People at the Over 60’s which raised awareness of its work and was a good fundraiser for the charity.

Both Margaret and Sue enjoy coming to the Over 60’s. “I like meeting people, chatting, enjoying a coffee and cake and having the chance to meet up and talk about what we do with the dogs,” said Margaret. She’s also been to a talk about sign language, enjoyed a tea and scones event there and is wondering about trying out chair yoga.

“So many of the dogs I’ve had like to meet people at the Over 60’s,” said Sue, “They pick things up quickly. Thorner Over 60’s is a great facility for older people in the village. We started to come because we just saw the coffee morning as we were passing with the dogs and decided to call in. Everyone is very friendly, – more people should try it.”  Sue regularly comes to swap books at the book exchange, has tried the Spanish class and enjoyed a mince pie tasting session at The Bungalow.

Margaret and Sue with hearing dogs Winnie and Star.

Thorner Over 60’s is part of the Welcome Spaces network. As well as the busy coffee morning there’s a regular programme of activities including a discussion group, lunches, exercise classes, talks and outings and a book exchange, plus training in areas such as first aid. There’s also signposting to other local activities. There are approximately 80 members and around 30 volunteers. Holding the weekly Post Office at The Over 60’s draws people of all ages into the premises and the coffee mornings are open to anyone.

Monitoring the attendance at our sessions has been an interesting exercise for us. Some of our Over 60’s committee have taken advantage of the free on-line training sessions offered through Welcome Spaces. As a voluntary organisation we are particularly grateful to Welcome Spaces for the help towards our rising energy costs.

 

Voluntary Action Leeds