Social groups, lunch clubs and activities near you

Whether you fancy a hot meal and a natter, a chance to take up an old hobby, or simply some friendly faces and a little routine to the week, there is a surprising amount going on near you. Joining in is one of the loveliest ways to meet people, stay active in body and mind, and feel part of things again. This page gives you a flavour of what is out there across Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, and, most usefully of all, how to find what is near you.

Lunch clubs and day centres

There is a great deal to be said for a warm, freshly cooked meal in good company. Lunch clubs and day centres offer exactly that, often with a friendly activity or two alongside. Locally, Chesterfield Care Group runs day groups with a hot lunch, gentle exercise and activities at venues around Chesterfield, Dronfield and Brimington, including groups for people living with dementia. Day services like these can also give a hard-working carer a well-earned break.

Clubs, hobbies and learning

If you would like to keep your mind and your hands busy, there is everything from craft, gardening and art to music, singing, cards and gentle exercise. Chesterfield u3a is a wonderful place to start. Run by and for retired people, it has hundreds of members and dozens of interest groups, covering everything from history and languages to walking, table tennis and tai chi, with no upper age limit at all. Many people join as much for the company as for the activity itself.

Getting active, gently

Staying active need not mean anything strenuous. Gentle walking groups, chair-based exercise and movement classes are a friendly way to keep moving and meet people, and there are strength-and-balance classes locally too. Our guide on staying steady on your feet has more on those.

Something for the men, too

Men can sometimes find it harder to seek out company, and Men's Sheds are a lovely answer: relaxed places where men get together to potter, make and mend things, and enjoy a brew and a chat along the way. You can find your nearest one through the Men's Sheds Association.

How to find what is on near you

The best way to discover what is happening locally is simply to ask. Community Directory Derbyshire lists social clubs, lunch clubs, day centres and activities for older people right across the county, and you can search it by area and by interest. In Chesterfield, you can also pop into The Hub on Low Pavement, where someone will happily point you towards groups near you. Here at BrightLife, we keep a directory of local clubs too, so do get in touch and we will gladly help you find one. And do not forget your GP surgery, as many now have a link worker who can connect you with local activities, something often called social prescribing.

Getting there

If getting out and about is the tricky part, please do not let that put you off, because there is plenty of help, from your free bus pass to bookable community transport that picks you up from your own door. Our guide on getting out and about explains the options.

Feeling nervous about going along?

It is completely natural to feel a little shy about walking into somewhere new, and most of us would. The welcome is usually warmer than you expect, and there is no harm at all in taking a friend or family member with you the first time, or in trying a few different groups until you find the one that feels right. Many organisers are quite happy for you to come along and just watch at first.

If getting out is not possible right now

If you are not able to get out at the moment, that does not mean going without company. A friendly phone call can brighten the day enormously, and our telephone befriending service here at BrightLife is always glad to help, whether as a regular chat in its own right or a gentle first step towards getting out again.

Where to find what is on, locally and nationally

Close to home, across Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire:

• BrightLife, which keeps a directory of local clubs. Please do get in touch and we will help you find one.
• Community Directory Derbyshire, to search for clubs, lunch clubs and day centres by area.
• The Hub, Low Pavement, Chesterfield, for community activities near you.
• Chesterfield u3a, for interest groups, learning and good company.
• Chesterfield Care Group, for day groups with a hot meal and activities.
• Your GP surgery, which can connect you with local activities through social prescribing.

Across the country:

• The Royal Voluntary Service, which runs friendly lunch clubs and activities.
• The u3a, to find your nearest group and its many interest groups.
• The Men's Sheds Association, to find a local shed.