The Orchard Centre is still holding the following support groups, in line with Government Guidance they can still operate.
Dementia Support Group, Tuesday's, 10am-12pm;
Alternate Wednesday's 7pm-9pm, ManDown Cornwall;
Sunday afternoons 2pm-4pm, a support group for anyone affected by the impact of Covid-19, lonely, isolated, assistance with access to WiFi and laptops to support the Launceston Community Project, advising and assisting people into work. All standard rules apply, masks, Track and Trace, sanitising etc.
During one of the recent support groups, the team asked if the people attending had been able to keep in touch with family who were not local via social media or WhatsApp. Two people said they had not seen family members for a year.
The centre arranged a WhatsApp call to one person’s daughter there and then, and witnessing the delight on both faces at 'seeing' each other was a truly great reward, her smile lit up her face. It was then discovered she had a 'modern' phone at home that had been there since the first lockdown but she had no idea how to use it. Therefore, the centre is now holding a 'tech' session to get her up and running and in touch with her daughter regularly. Another person has also not seen his family for a year and went home eager to get in touch with them and arrange to have a WhatsApp call to them next week as he had no mobile numbers with him. A spokesperson from the Orchard Centre said: “I feel so lucky to be in a position to help these lovely folk finally see their loved ones’ faces and 'upskill' them as well! With the continuing regulations now imposed and people finding this latest lockdown even more stressful, we aim to help others in this way if we are presented with the opportunity.”
To contact the Orchard Centre, call 01566 777 375.