"Our centre has become a lifeline to combat social isolation" - Celebrating 40 years of Halifax's Maurice Jagger Centre

Every week at the centre, people are made to feel welcome, comfortable and part of something.

This year is the centre's 40th anniversary, and after the uncertainties of the worst of the Covid pandemic, it is hoped another 40 years can now be embarked on for what has become a lifeline for so many people.

"Unfortunately we were unable to keep the centre open during the pandemic," says administrator Alison Stevens.

"However, the administration and maintenance of the building continued and enabled us to install a new audio visual and air conditioning system to keep us up to date for when the pandemic ends.

"What we were able to do was arrange a meals on wheels delivery service to circa 40 people each week of the most vulnerable of our lunch club members so they did not feel quite so isolated.

"Others who were perhaps not so vulnerable we kept in touch by telephone and ensured birthday cards were sent for special birthdays.

"As you can imagine our income was severely impacted by the pandemic and we were encouraged to apply for financial grants to support businesses during the pandemic and this enabled the charity to hit the ground running once the restrictions began to lift."

There are around 22 different groups, plus another couple in the pipeline, who use the centre each week and on average, prior to the pandemic, they had a footfall of around 600 people per week, which they are hopeful of soon reaching once again.

Jean Radford, treasurer and a trustee at the centre, has been running the Whist Club for around ten years, which has around 20 members.

She says that if the Maurice Jagger Centre didn't exist, then neither would the Whist Club.

"I started coming to the centre about 25 years ago.

"It makes such a big difference because when we weren't meeting during the pandemic, people got really down and isolated.

"They lose their confidence.

"Not only that but playing cards keeps your brain active because they're counting, they're thinking about what to play, they can have a chat and a cup of tea.

"They come a bit beforehand so they can have a chat, it does make such a big difference for people to be able to get out of the house.

"Before the pandemic we'd have 600 people a week through the doors. Now it's dropped, we're down to about 450, 500, but we're building up again.

"There's still a lot of people afraid to come out but a lot of them are starting to come back.

"I've been on the phone to them, we've tried to keep in touch with a lot of the centre users.

"They were getting quite teary and quite upset because they couldn't go anywhere, they couldn't have visitors. They just weren't getting out.

"When they come to the lunch club or the whist group, the ladies will put a bit of make-up on, they'll have a broach on or a nice necklace, and a nice jumper on.

"They make an effort, and it's lovely to see them coming in and having a chat with one another and supporting one another.

"It's a lovely place, it's modern, it's clean, it's warm, it's well looked-after.

"They meet like-minded people and they have a laugh and a joke."

Maurice Jagger was the driving force behind the centre opening 40 years ago this month.

He brought together a number of elderly and disabled groups who were struggling to find suitable premises and launched a fundraising appeal for a purpose built centre.

Maurice remained actively involved in the centre until he was 88. His daughter Margaret Mattingley runs the lunch clubs at the centre and is a trustee.

"The centre is very, very important," she said.

"The council have closed loads of community centres down, and our centre provides a really good place for anyone that's retired or elderly to meet in different groups.

"Lots of different groups run the centre and we run various things ourselves like lunches on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

"For some people it's the only time they get out in a week. One lady said the other day she gets really excited when it's her time to come on a Wednesday, it really bucks her up.

"Our slots are nearly all in use, in the morning, afternoon and evening, and even Saturday and Sunday.

"We're trying to enhance people's lives by offering somewhere they can meet.

"We run two buses because a lot of these people can't come in by themselves due to their mobility."

Alison says the centre is keen to build on its services and activities aimed at younger people.

"The majority of our users are aged from mid-50's onwards with various physical and mental health challenges including social isolation.

"We have in the past had an association with Calderdale College where their young students of all abilities have volunteered at the lunch clubs to help gain practical experience for their qualifications.

"In the past we were also able to provide a meeting place for the Calderdale Deaf Youth Hub and we are quite keen to encourage more support groups catering for young people to use our facilities."

Alison added: "One of the lessons we have learnt from the last two years is that our centre has become a lifeline to combat social isolation and made us more aware that the services are important to the general wellbeing of the older end of the Calderdale population.

"Our future aims are to be the same as they have in the past 40 years to provide a warm, comfortable, safe meeting place where people can come and meet like minded people and have some fun and if we can achieve this we will be here in another 40 years."

The centre is sponsoring this year’s Young at Heart concert at the Halifax’s Victoria Theatre and is holding an open day on Saturday, April 9.