Last week Samantha Fryer looked at what activities there were for teenagers in Bucks. This week, she talks to the area's elderly.

MANY people look forward to their retirement hoping it will free them up to do things they have always wanted to. Many do not envision themselves sitting at home, on their own, unable to get out, with nowhere to go if they could.

Where do pensioners go in south Buckinghamshire and are we offering our elderly the facilities and activities that we would want when we get older?

This week has been Age Concern Week, culminating in Grandparents Day tomorrow (Saturday). Age Concern works throughout the country to offer help, advice and support to the elderly. In High Wycombe, the charity runs a Pensioners Pop-In at the Reggie Goves Centre, St Pauls Row, on Tuesday and Wednesday. It has been running for around 16 years, ten of those in the current location.

Olive Howes, who works at the Age Concern Office, says that the pop-in was set up because there was not really anywhere for pensioners and the elderly to go.

"There are day centres, but most of these are council run in warden homes. The Day Centre in Desborough Road closed a few years ago and there were no clubs really especially for the elderly people."

She agrees that a permanent centre with all the facilities and services in one would be a good idea, but adds that appropriate town centre sites are very hard to find.

Volunteers at the pop-in serve meals, offer advice and information on all topics from insurance to heating, sell second hand clothes and books, organise a tea dance every other Tuesday, keep fit the alternative Tuesday and bingo on Thursday afternoons.

Organiser Ricky Wingrove, 73, says: "We don't run to make a profit, it is for the pensioners. It is successful, especially the bingo on Thursdays. We have around 100 people coming to that."

He says that the pop-in is vitally important for many of the pensioners in the town.

"Sometimes people can get lonely at home. They can come here and meet other pensioners.

"The more the merrier. People sometimes say they don't know anyone, but they come in and are surprised by how many people they actually know here."

He says that they have also opened up the pop in sessions to over 50s.

As well as the events at the centre, Ricky also organises day trips all over England and long weekend breaks to places like Newquay, where they can go dancing and visit places.

"We are really like regenerated teenagers," Ricky laughs.

Services like Dial-a-Ride help to bring some of the elderly into the town.

Wycombe has a range of leisure facilities, including a cinema and sports centre. Both of these see the need to try to attract some of the area's older residents through their doors.

Staff at UCI Wycombe 6 cinema in High Wycombe had considered showing older films to try to attract audiences during the day.

Neil Goulding, duty manager at the cinema, explains: "The problem is that the prints of these films are older and are either unwatchable or unavailable.

"We did look at it because it is a very good idea."

He says that to have the print improved is very expensive and the number of people coming to see the films wouldn't cover the cost.

He adds that some of the director's chair matinees attract an older audience.

On October 9, the cinema is showing The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone. Another film that might attract an older audience is Land Girls, a love story set during World War Two.

For pensioners and the elderly keen to stay in shape and stay healthy, sports centres around the area offer a number of specialist sessions.

Chesham Leisure Centre has a Nifty Fifties exercise class in the dance studio and also runs 50+ sessions on Monday and Friday.

The Beacon Centre in Holtspur has a 50+ afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday and the sports include badminton, short mat bowling and short tennis. Beaconsfield also boasts an over 50s tennis afternoon at The Oval on Wednesdays.

Wycombe Sports Centre is also working to get more elderly people to visit the site. They have a 50+ club which meets twice a week on Monday afternoons and Friday afternoons which has about 200 members. They can use all the facilities and take part in activities such as indoor bowling.

Centre manager Ian Mitchell, says: "It is a very popular session with quite a big up-take.

"It is important to us to get elderly people at the sports centre."

He adds: "We also have active heart sessions, which is for people who have heart problems or who have suffered a heart attack. The sessions are with a specialist who puts them through a training program."

High Wycombe, Chesham, and Beaconsfield have PROBUS clubs -- monthly luncheon clubs for retired professionals. Many of the towns in this area also have British Legions, where there is a bar and which organise fund-raising and other events for members.

Alan Page is the vice chairman of Pensioners' Voice, an action group trying to raise awareness of issues to do with the elderly in the area. He thinks that to cater for the needs of the pensioner in south Buckinghamshire, it is important to have a centre where a lot of activities can be based permanently.

He says: "What we would like to see first and what we need is a permanent day care drop-in centre, which we asked for 30 years ago and was promised by the council. It has never materialised.

"We can have meals, the possibility of foot care and basic primary health care facilities in the day centre."

He adds that leisure pursuits like craft classes, talks and films could also take place in the centre as well as information and advice.

"We need a long term strategy to keep up with the growing numbers of elderly people over 65 and you can do that at a permanent centre." Jack Cox, of Clifton Court, High Wycombe, uses the pop in centre most Tuesdays and Thursdays.

He says: "I think this is excellent, I come in here and have a meal."

Jack also takes advantage of the facilities at Wycombe Sports Centre to go swiming. He has no problem getting to places as he uses his car. Harry Hooper, 71, of Hicks Farm Rise, High Wycombe, is in a wheelchair because he has suffered two strokes. He goes to the Pensioners Pop In and is brought to the Reggie Goves Centre by Dial-a-Ride.

He says: "I come here Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don't do very much else, just stay inside" Edna Brzezicki, 71, of Bradenham Road, High Wycombe, is a volunteer helper at the Pensioners Pop In.

She says: "There is not much else to do apart from the Pop In in Wycombe. There needs to be more social life for older people such as talks to keep us occupied." Iris Stevenson, 83, is very keen for there to be more for elderly people to do in High Wycombe.

"I would like there to be some film shows of older films.

"It would be good to have some old time dancing, with somebody to teach them, and sewing classes, painting things like that."

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