Meeting for elderly beneficiaries of FBB projects

This week we held our first event with the beneficiaries of all our projects. And this get-together for older people couldn’t have gone better!

We took everyone to SPYC (São Paulo Yacht Club), a sailing club situated on the banks of the Guarapiranga and boasting a beautiful venue. We were joined by participants from our Senior Citizens’ Centre , residents from the Casa Madre Teodora Care Home for the Elderly , a care home that we support through our ‘Multiplicar’ Programme, , and beneficiaries of the Cuidar Programme . And, of course, we also welcomed some members from the British community to honour our roots 🙂

Activities and leisure for all tastes

We were at a sailing club on the banks of the Guarapiranga and couldn’t resist going on some boat trips. With the help of SPYC and its members, we took several elderly people out sailing on the reservoir.

We also held a yoga workshop with Instructor Luciana, from circle dancing, with Teacher Cida, and music and movement, with Teacher Penny. All three have been working at our Centre since it opened and are very involved. And the best bit is that the event took place on 16 October, the day the project celebrated its first anniversary.

And the gardening club São Paulo Garden Club was also there. We had a really great lesson on how to plant succulents and getting your hands dirty.

To get all this done, the team had to put in a lot of effort. And what better way to recharge your batteries and have a bit of a rest than over lunch with friends at SPYC’s own restaurant?

To see more photos from the event, visit our Facebook page 🙂

Why organise a gathering of the elderly?

As we have stated before, providing leisure activities is essential for improving the quality of life of older people. For this reason, we strive to organise as many activities as possible for our beneficiaries.

Furthermore, socialising and sharing experiences amongst themselves is essential for forging emotional bonds and friendships. Interaction between people with different backgrounds and world views is very positive and helps to build bridges and strengthen empathy. And we, who accompany them throughout this process, always learn a great deal!

Special thanks

First and foremost, we must thank the elderly people who embark on this journey with such enthusiasm for all our ideas and projects.

We would also like to thank the SPYC, with a special mention to Michael Downey, the club’s Commodore; Peter Comber, who organised the sailing trips; and Cecilia Bennett, who runs the club’s restaurant. Without the club and its team, we could never have organised such a wonderful event for our older members.

The São Paulo Garden Club team and its representatives: Gillian Govier, Judy Beer and Lissa Codling.

To our volunteers, whose hard work was essential in keeping everything running smoothly: Alessandra Macedo, Alan Govier, Ana Rodrigues, Beatriz Dantas, Cida Paiva, Craig Bavinton, Cristiane Silva, Érica Dantas, Fran Freitas, Isabela Bertho, Luciana Aguiar, Marina Matheus, Neide Dantas, Patrícia White, Penny Ahlgrimm, Rachel Govier, Rosane Perrote, Sandra Pavani and Suely Bertelli.