Companionship in the Community: FREE Hot Drinks and a Chat for All and FREE Activities for Over 60s

May 2, 2022 | Group Dog Walk, Community Space, Latest News

Image taken in our Troon Community Space, image is of two people sitting, looking at the camera. One of them is holding a small, white dog on their lap

Loneliness and social isolation, especially in older adults are very serious issues, they can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, stress, and dementia.

Since 2018 we have opened three Community Spaces in Scotland – one in Shawlands, Glasgow, one in Troon, South Ayrshire, and one in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. Each of these Community Spaces are hubs of activity and companionship, and this is just one of the projects we’ve set up to help tackle loneliness and social isolation for older adults.

This is our ‘Companionship in the Community’ project.

This project offers a variety of free services to encourage people to get out of the house and be part of a community, helping them meet people, cuddle dogs, and make new friends.

Image is of groups of people and dogs sitting around tables in our Alloa Community Space. They are all drinking from our branded mugs and chatting.

Services for All

We offer a FREE cuppa and companionship through our team of staff, volunteers, and Companionship Dogs, to anyone who visits our Community Spaces. You don’t need to be over 60 to pop in, though if we are busy, and approaching capacity, we do prioritise access for those over 60.

Anyone can join our regular Group Dog Walks in Shawlands and Troon, you don’t need to be over 60 to come along. Spending time outdoors and with others can really help to boost your mood and reduce feelings of loneliness, especially when there are dogs involved! If you don’t have a dog of your own, you can borrow one of ours during the walk.

Image containg four people and one dog taking part in our group dog walk in Queens Park, Glasgow.
Image containg four people and four dogs taking part in our group dog walk in Queens Park, Glasgow.

Services for Over 60’s Only

In addition to these services outlined above, for people aged 60 or older, we host regular, FREE group activities, such as Chair Yoga, beginner language lessons, and Daytime Disco, in our Community Spaces. For anyone over 60 who isn’t local to one of our Community Spaces, we hold FREE online sessions, such as Reiki and Chair Yoga, via Zoom. All of the sessions are great for getting people out of the house and mixing with others – some wonderful friendships began between people meeting in our Community Spaces!

Image taken from the back ouf our group activity room in our Alloa Community Space, image is of a group of people doing chair yoga poses

Find Out More

If you are over 60 and would like to take part in any of our activities, you can sign up to become a Charity Friend of Give a Dog a Bone. You can find out more, and sign up, here.

If you are under 60 and would like us to keep in touch with you to let you know about our latest news and events, you can complete our Keep in Touch form here.

More information about our Community Spaces, their location, and opening hours can be found here. If you would like to visit our Community Space in Shawlands on a Wednesday, please contact us first so that we can let you know the best time to come along.

If you would like to donate to our charitable projects, you can do so here.

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