OPAL Branching Out

OPAL Branching Out offers a range of ways to reconnect people with their local community and benefit from social connections.

This scheme has been running since 2019 in the Frodsham and Helsby area and OPAL has plans to run sessions in other rural areas across Cheshire west and Chester

One of the benefits of Branching Out is that it offers a range of activities and social get togethers, and members can attend as many or as few as they wish and this enables people who have fluctuating health or carer duties or regular diary commitments to participate.

All sessions stopped in 2019 due to Covid but a new programme of events will start in Autumn 2021.

Previous activities offered included:

• Frodsham Library drop in – a weekly social group
• Activity café – offering refreshments, plus a range of activities to try including craft, gentle exercise, computing support and table top games.
• Social Outings – Trips to local events such as the pantomime, music afternoons and amateur dramatic productions.
• Café meet ups – at local cafes and garden centres

During lockdown OPAL has been running a regular online elevenses zoom which is open to all members and volunteers across the rural area and will be continuing as other services re-open.

For further information about any of the Branching Out Services, please contact Julie Ennis on 07512 632 515 or email Julie.ennis@opalservices.org.uk