Haydays in Fife is revealed as Age Scotland’s Member Group of the Year

Haydays, a popular community organisation for older people, has been named as Age Scotland’s Member Group of the Year.

The St Andrews-based group, which is run by its 164 members, offers a busy schedule of educational, creative and active events for older 50s. Activities range from dancing, a Midsummer picnic, computer classes and a ukelele band.

The Member Group of the Year award, sponsored by Sky Cares, was presented to the Haydays team by Age Scotland's chief executive, Katherine Crawford and Stuart Purdy, chairman of the trustees, at an event on Tuesday.

Haydays is a group that allows older people to revisit an old hobby or develop a new skill, thanks to a host of self-employed tutors. For those who just want to relax and have a blether, there’s a café with coffee, tea and home baking. Many new friendships have been forged at the classes and in the café, and regulars enjoy the social interaction which helps reduce loneliness and isolation.

A full timetable of events and classes is now running every Tuesday during school term time. Among the highlights enjoyed by Haydays’ members has been the 2022 Christmas party where hampers were filled with goodies then raffled. The group raised £300 for the local food bank and £200 for Alzheimer’s Scotland