Music, friendship & wellbeing at the heart of the Grafton Centre

Located right next to the exit at Junction 3 of the M67, the Grafton Centre is a true hub of its community, where the sound of laughter mingles with music and conversation.

With the ambition of defeating isolation and loneliness and celebrating life, its calendar of events is jam-packed, offering everything from line dancing and Pilates to singing, indoor bowls, yoga, bingo and more.

Inside the main hall, local singers gather for weekly sessions filled with melody and friendship. The group, which began almost by accident in 2011, grew from a one-off performance into a cherished routine. In the singing for fun group, it is the social element that really comes through, with renditions of songs like “As Long as I Have Music” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” filling the room.

Long-time member Maureen, who has been attending for fifteen years, says the friendships formed at the centre extend well beyond its walls. For members like Berenice, who lives with Alzheimer’s, the music offers comfort and continuity; as her friend explains, the music helps her and helps everyone else too.

Dancing for Joy and Health

In another hall of the bustling centre, Vivian leads a lively line dancing class, her group of regulars stepping in rhythm to cheerful tunes. “We’ve been coming for ten years,” she says. “It’s very good exercise and we thoroughly enjoy it. It’s social too – it gets you out of the house and keeps you going.” The popularity of the class speaks for itself, with more than 70 participants across weekly sessions. Elsewhere, Pilates sessions fill the cold hardwood floor with colourful yoga mats and water bottles, as 30-strong classes led by instructor Collette draw in people seeking both fitness and friendship. Some attendees live alone, others care for ill partners and for many the class offers respite as well as vital social contact – so much so that some are disappointed even when they have to miss a session for a holiday.

A Welcoming Space for All

For many visitors, the Grafton Centre is more than just a venue, it is a lifeline. Sheila, a regular for four years, first joined after glowing reviews from friends and now comes mainly for the singing. “It’s a very nice place,” she says. “You have good meals, friendly people and staff who are always kind.” Across the hall from the exercise classes, the kitchen serves hearty, affordable food, burgers, chips and vegetables, alongside soup, sandwiches or toast in a room laid out to encourage conversation among friends and patrons. The clink of cutlery and the hum of voices echo off the walls as people sit together, some for activities, some simply for a chat.

At the heart of the operation is Centre Manager Julie Ingham, who has been running the centre for over seven years and has watched the community grow and flourish. When she first started, she sat on the front desk and helped wherever she could, including in the kitchen, but since then she has overseen a significant increase in patrons, with around 500 members and hundreds more visitors each week.

The centre took a real hit during Covid and rebuilding felt like starting from scratch, but persistent outreach into the community has helped restore and grow attendance. Today, the Grafton Centre hosts groups for exercise, relaxation, men’s mental health sessions on Mondays and many other activities that cater to different ages and fitness levels.

More Than a Community Centre

The Grafton Centre is a registered charity and proud recipient of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018, a recognition that reflects the strength of its volunteer base and its impact on local lives. Affordability is central to its mission classes spanning yoga, relaxation, Pilates, bowls, bingo and “singing for pleasure” are kept as low-cost as possible and membership fees have not risen in years despite increasing costs elsewhere. Volunteers are always welcome in the kitchen, on reception and even in the garden and while Julie admits it can be hard to recruit, those who do step forward often find the experience hugely rewarding.

One volunteer’s story stands out for Julie, he began very shy, working one day a week in the kitchen with the support of a worker; now he is in the centre every day, full of confidence and considered part of the family.

Chair of Trustees Philip Fitzpatrick says they try to keep everything in-house, recognising that some people come simply for a chat while others attend specific classes or events. Doctors and other community organisations routinely refer people to the Grafton Centre’s activities, acknowledging its role as a vital community asset.

For Julie, the greatest success of the centre lies in how it brings people together, offering structure, purpose and companionship. Regulars say it keeps them from “talking to the walls” and gives them something to look forward to each week. People tell staff they do not know what they would do without the place and the uplifting effect of the Grafton Centre can be felt by all who step through its doors.

From singing sessions that lift the spirits to dance and exercise classes that keep hearts young, the Grafton Centre continues to show how coming together to move, sing and share can be genuinely life-changing.

Guest Presenter Oliver Sykes went along to discover some of the amazing activities at The Grafton Centre.