Seniors Festival Creates Community Connection
The Byron Shire Seniors Festival offers a free week-long program of events and workshops on 19-23 April at the Byron Community Centre tailored to the needs of our diverse local senior community. It is the only festival of its kind in the Northern Rivers region that brings together a range of seniors organisations and activities under one umbrella.
"The Byron Shire Seniors Festival is a free event that attracts seniors from all over the region to have fun and to connect them with local service providers and group activities in their area,” says Pippy Wardell, Seniors Activities Coordinator at Byron Community Centre.
The program will facilitate opportunities to connect seniors with local organisations and services through workshops and presentations. Through the provision of a variety of events, presentations and workshops, the festival creates a more inclusive, healthy, active and connected community for our seniors.
Seniors will be able to participate in creative and fun activities such as drumming, chair yoga, art therapy, poetry, drama and printmaking. Informative workshops and presentations will be held by local organisations including Safety for Seniors, Life Death and Loss with Zenith Virago, Healthy Eating While Ageing, and many more.
The festival is focused on reducing social isolation and loneliness experienced by our older population. The event empowers older people to connect with each other through sampling creative, social and active activities at the festival. Many of these activities are offered throughout the year within the Byron Shire.
“All of the seniors leave with big smiles on their faces,” says Pippy. “I have seen real friendships grow and deep connections made through our weekly activities program. We believe that growing older is just another phase of life and should be lived to the fullest.”
The festival provides easily accessible opportunities for seniors to connect with organisations and service providers from throughout the region. By establishing connections between seniors, organisations, social groups and service providers during the festival, the beneficial outcomes extend well beyond the festival dates.
Byron Community Centre
Byron Shire Seniors Festival, 19 – 23 April 2021
The Byron Community Seniors program is hosting the Byron Shire Seniors Festival at the Byron Community Centre during the week of April 19th – 23rd. The festival will provide five days of activities for seniors, as well as workshops and presentations from regional organisations that provide services for seniors. Throughout the week, seniors will also be provided with the opportunity to sample and experience various social, creative, healthy and physically active activities.
This event is made possible with support from the Department of Family and Community Services, Byron Shire Council and Byron Community Centre.