Every Tuesday and Thursday Swanton Novers Village Hall is filled with sounds of crashing waves, soothing aromas and refreshment
The sessions in the village near Fakenham are thanks to the Briarcare Norfolk Day Services and give carers some respite and help elderly people who may feel isolated make new friends.
They are also for older people living with dementia or physical disabilities.
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Seven stations are arranged in the hall to encourage conversation and mental engagement. One table, for example, features a seaside theme, with two sandboxes full of shells and a speaker playing the sound of waves in the background.
Briarcare has hosted its first day services open day to get those aged over the age of 65 "competitive and in fellowship" once again.
Rebecca Trezise, operations manager, said that the sessions offered much-needed respite for family caregivers who may be overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caregiving.
"We're focusing on companionship, prevention and retention for those battling with dementia and other cognitive illnesses, especially in the more rural areas.
"Their world becomes so small and lonely, so we want to create a space for them to make friends, get competitive, and get people being people again," she said.
The business is a venture of Terry and Helen Boulter.
Mr Boulter, managing director and having experienced the implications of dementia first-hand, said: "We have dementia sufferers in our family. They were diagnosed just before the Covid pandemic, so we saw what the isolation did to them.
"Making an event like this happen is something we have always wanted to do."
Mrs Boulter, finance manager, said: "We've never done this before, but this fits our ethos completely. We want to bring people together, and I just love Rebecca's approach to this. It's holistic and all about helping people."
Hazel Mindham, a Swanton Novers villager, also joined in the fun during the open day. For her, activities like the day service are also an opportunity for carers to have a fun day out. "My mum had vascular dementia, and as a former carer, you do get quite lonely. This is as much for the carers as it is for the clients."
Tickets for the day service are £27.50 and can be booked online.
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