The UnitingSA Whyalla Community Centre is launching a new program for people aged 50 and over. Club50+ starts on June 18 and will run between 10.00am – 2.30pm every Thursday until the end of the year.
The free program will offer a range of activities including gardening, cooking, craft and games along with a variety of guest speakers.
UnitingSA has been a long-time provider of community services in Whyalla. UnitingSA’s Mental Health Services, NDIS and Wesley Social Enterprises teams are based at Moran Street.
The Community Centre, which opened in February 2025, already offers a range of programs including craft sessions, board games and a drop-in centre. In the short time since it opened, the centre has already connected with well over a thousand residents.
The new program is expected to broaden participation even further with free transport now available to help people attend the sessions.
The UnitingSA Whyalla Community Centre is on the Corner of Ramsay and Wittwer Streets in Whyalla and is open Tuesday to Friday between 10am to 3pm.
Please contact Cathy Hutchinson, Community Development Officer, on 0448 438 860 for more details or to book transport to attend.
Quotes attributable to UnitingSA CEO, Jen Hall
UnitingSA is excited to be starting Club50+ with the assistance of a Department of Human Services Ageing Well Community Grant.
Connection and community are so important, and we believe this program will help bring people together.
Loneliness is a significant issue in our community. About 1 in 3 Australians experience social isolation or persistent loneliness. Young people, older people, and those without family living nearby are most impacted.
We also know loneliness can be exacerbated by the current cost-of-living pressures.
That’s exactly why a free program like this one is so important – it provides a simple and accessible way for people to connect with others.
Quotes attributable to Cathy Hutchinson, Coordinator of the Community Centre
This program is open to any Whyalla resident aged 50 years or older. I’d encourage people to come along and give it a go!
Each week we will offer a range of activities including social opportunities and guest speakers. Participants will be able to learn new skills or share their skills with others.
We can even help with free transport. We can get people to and from the community centre if they book in advance.
People are welcome to bring their own lunch, or they can buy good home cooked meals from our kitchen for $3-5. Tea and coffee will be available all day.
Activities planned for the first few weeks include:
- Fun with clay
- Establishing a kitchen garden
- Simple weaving projects
- Guest speaker topics
- Thriving to Surviving – Mental Health Wellbeing
- Staying Safe on the Net – Digital Support (including 1 on 1 individual support)
- Maintaining Brain Health as we Age
Media contact: Shannon Short – 0466 419 528