We had another amazing member networking event on Tuesday 29th June with members talking about their very special plans to have a garden party to help us celebrate our 75th anniversary year!

Thank you to everyone who took part and shared their plans – as well as their challenges.

A special thank you to Bob Needham of Wivenhoe Almshouses, who started the meeting by talking about his proposed 1940s style party and all the ins and outs of planning a garden party. This really helped the other members with ideas and what they needed to think about when organising an event.

We had some really interesting feedback and comments during the session and have highlighted these below for reference:

What it takes to organise a party – Bob highlighted the many aspects of organising a party, large or small including everything from gazebo’s to toilet facilities and Covid-19 requirements.  Whether organising a large or small event, certain criteria needs to be met and to help you with these, we have a great Hints & Tips Flyer in our Celebration Pack, that can assist you to identify the main points to consider and create a workable check list. 

Smaller more intimate events – Some members had concerns about their parties being too small or insignificant during our 75th anniversary year and we assured them that any gathering that induces happiness and camaraderie is special and signifies the essence of almshouses, which is a community spirit and neighbourliness. That is what the 75th anniversary year is all about. We would be delighted to hear about any small, intimate parties taking place, whether this is simply the residents sharing a cup of tea and a piece of cake to larger events. Every event is special, regardless of the size and every photo or story we receive of an event will be welcomed with delight.

PR doesn’t have to be intrusive – Some members were discussing the concerns about PR in their local communities as they wanted to respect their residents and also keep the media from inadvertently visiting without prior warning. They were reassured that PR inclusion can be kept to a minimum and managed in a way that isn’t intrusive and can be directed or focused on one major project or area.

We will share details for our next networking event as soon as they are finalised. In the meantime, if you have any questions or ideas you would like to discuss, please do email gerryharmon@almshouses.org