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Mina's story
A weekly lifeline at the Cornhill Centre, giving Mina friendship, food and something to look forward to every Tuesday.
Finding a weekly lifeline through social support in Banbury
Mina is 94 years old and is living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She has been coming to the Royal Voluntary Service Cornhill Centre in Banbury every Tuesday for many years, attending the Social Dining Club before staying on for the ‘Move It or Lose It’ class, which features chair-based exercises, followed by coffee, cake and another chance to chat with friends.
"If I didn’t come to the club every week, I think I’d lose my mind! It’s important to keep your mind active and to talk to new people. The volunteers and my friends at the club help me to do that."
When life became harder to manage alone
Mina has lived alone ever since her husband died 18 years ago. She's recently faced further health setbacks, including a stroke and a heart attack, alongside failing eyesight and is no longer able to leave her house without the help of someone else. Coming to the centre once a week is her only chance to get out of the house, giving her some much-needed fun, friendship, and exercise.
"I wasn’t going anywhere at all, and I really needed to see people again. If I didn’t come to the Royal Voluntary Service centre each week, I’d be sat staring at the same four walls all day, every day."
Finding company and connection at the Cornhill Centre
Every Tuesday morning, Mina is picked up from home, brought to the Cornhill Centre, and taken home again afterwards, either by her best friend, Maureen, who also attends, or by one of the Royal Voluntary Service volunteer drivers. Mina really enjoys the company and the chance to eat a hot, nutritious meal in the company of others.
Exercise, friendship & fun at group
The 'Move It or Lose It' class after lunch has become one of the highlights of Mina's week, helping her stay mobile and giving her the confidence to move around more easily than before.
"The exercise class after lunch on a Tuesday is brilliant. It’s so much fun, and it really helps me a lot. I’m able to get up from chairs and move around a lot easier than I used to, and it’s all thanks to this."
Support that reaches beyond Tuesdays
In more recent years, as her family have moved throughout the world, Mina has been supported by Royal Voluntary Service in various ways. As well as the volunteer drivers and the Social Dining and 'Move It or Lose It' classes at the Cornhill Centre, Mina also receives weekly calls from two different ‘telephone befrienders’ as part of the Calls with Care service.
For Mina, the Cornhill Centre offers far more than a weekly outing. It provides a sense of belonging, a hot meal, gentle exercise, and the friendship and support that a life lived largely alone can otherwise put at risk.
"I love coming here. I look forward to it every week, and the hot lunches, especially the homemade soup, are a real treat. I don’t go anywhere else in the week, it’s only here I come, and it means so much to me. The volunteers are all so kind and caring and they can’t do enough for me."
Looking for support services near you?
If you or someone you love could benefit from social contact, a hot meal, or a helping hand to get out of the house, you don't have to manage alone. Royal Voluntary Service runs lunch clubs, exercise classes, and telephone befriending across Britain, offering companionship and practical support to people who need it most.
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With your help, Royal Voluntary Service can continue to be a lifeline to people like Mina.