Merton Sports and Social Club Events for November!
CONTENTS:
1. NEXT MONTHLY PUB SOCIAL
2. SWIMMING
3. TANDEM CYCLING
4. WALKING
5. CANOEING
6. RNIB SMART SPEAKER GIVEAWAY
7. SOCIALLIGHT SUPPORT GROUP NOVEMBER MEETUP
8. MERTON VISION GRAND QUIZ EVENING
9. EYE MATTER PEER SUPPORT GROUP
10.METRO BLIND SPORT
11.DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
1. NEXT MONTHLY PUB SOCIAL – TUESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER
We are delighted that Ganley’s Irish Bar in Morden is proving to be an excellent venue for our monthly club social, which we will continue to hold on the first Tuesday evening of each month.
We had another good turnout on Tuesday 5th October and again had exclusive use of a side room. The friendly bar staff looked after us very well, kindly taking orders and payments at the table.
Please join us for our next social from 7.30 pm on Tuesday 2nd November at Ganley’s, 43-47 London Road, Morden SM4 5HP. It is about two minutes’ walk from Morden Underground Station, which is at the southern end of the Northern Line. Let us know if you would like someone to meet you at the station or at a bus stop to guide you to the pub, which is just across the road from the station. If you arrive on your own, once you have entered the pub, turn right and you will find the MSSC crowd in a side room.
Please note, if you wish to have a meal, arrive in good time as the kitchen closes at 8.30 pm. The menu is varied, the food good value and portion sizes extremely generous!
Join us at Ganley’s from 7.30 pm on Tuesday 7th December for MSSC’s Christmas social. Put the date in your diary and details will be circulated nearer the time.
For more information about our monthly pub social, email info@mssc.org.uk
2. SWIMMING
MSSC’s weekly swimming session at the Canons, Mitcham has been reinstated. Club members have exclusive use of the pool each Thursday evening between 7 and 8 pm, and volunteer drivers are on hand to provide door-to-door transport for members living in Merton, if requested in advance.
For details, including the cost of admission and transport, please email swimming@mssc.org.uk
3. TANDEM CYCLING
MSSC’s tandem cycle rides, of varying lengths, continue to take place on the first Sunday and third Saturday of each month. All abilities are welcome, from beginners to seasoned cyclists. All rides include a refreshment stop and start and finish at the Guardian Centre, 67 Clarendon Road, Colliers Wood SW19 2DX. Solo cyclists are also very welcome.
We can only run as many rides as we have ride leaders available and so we would love to hear from any of our regular pilots who would be prepared to lead a ride in the future. Naturally, training and support will be provided.
The most popular rides tend to be Level 2 and 3, and although there is interest in the advanced Level 4, we struggle to secure enough suitable pilots. Level 1 continues to attract complete beginners (both stokers and pilots) or those who favour a very gentle ride, possibly to ease them back into tandem cycling after a break.
Members are asked to register for rides as soon as possible, using the google booking form. Every effort is made to accommodate each individual who registers, but it is a huge challenge to achieve the perfect ratio of pilots to stokers, so we cannot guarantee everybody a place, and you may end up on a lower level of ride or on a waiting list. The sooner you book the better and paid-up members will be given priority. If you register for a ride later than the preceding Wednesday, please email us to let us know, as we may not be checking for new sign-ups after that date and your registration may be missed.
The links to sign up for rides in November are below:-
- Sunday 7th November: https://forms.gle/u84FVvAkrFG7wsJn8
- Saturday 20th November: https://forms.gle/AL4usm8b6KpiELzHA
In December, we will only be running rides on the first Sunday, as the third Saturday is 18th December, very close to Christmas, and we anticipate that people are likely to be otherwise engaged.
Here is the link to sign up for rides on Sunday 5th December:-
We will, however, be offering to run at least one ride on Sunday 2nd January, depending on how much interest we get. Links to sign up for rides in January will be circulated soon.
We hold regular maintenance sessions on a Wednesday morning once a month. If you can help with cleaning and repairing our bikes, we would love to hear from you!
For more information, email cycling@mssc.org.uk
4. WALKING
A big thank you to Peter who led MSSC’s last walk on Sunday 24th October, which was a moderately challenging walk along the perimeter path of Richmond park. Conditions were fair and most participants ended up in the pub for a rest and a well-earned drink!
The plan is to offer a monthly walk and, as a guide, we will aim at the last Sunday of each month. The next walk will take place on Sunday 28th November in picturesque Beddington Park. Precise details are yet to be confirmed, but the meeting time will be around 10.30 am.
As the last Sunday in December is Boxing Day, our December walk will take place on Tuesday 28th and will be a gentle stroll in Morden Hall Park from 10.30 am, followed by a festive drink in a local café or pub.
To register interest in either of the above walks or to be kept informed of future walks, please email walking@mssc.org.uk
5. CANOEING
MSSC owns a number of canoes that have not been on the water for several years. They are currently housed inside and on top of one of our storage containers at the Guardian Centre. However, when we eventually move from the Guardian Centre, possibly within the next six months, we will not be taking the canoes with us. The canoes are still watertight, but they are old and, when we resume our canoeing activities, hopefully, next spring, it will be far more practical to hire boats wherever we choose to paddle, rather than transporting our own canoes to and from the water.
If you, or anyone you know, is interested in giving a home to one or more of our canoes, please let us know as soon as possible. Contact us at committee@mssc.org.uk.
We are also keen to gauge interest in canoeing activities, so we are hoping to organise a “have a go” canoeing session next spring. please let us know if, in principle, you would be up for taking part.
6. RNIB SMART SPEAKER GIVEAWAY
How do you like the idea of getting instant access to thousands of RNIB audiobooks, free of charge, just by using your voice?
Well, that’s exactly what RNIB can offer! The RNIB is giving away 3,000 Amazon Echos (smart speakers) to celebrate the launch of their Talking Books library being available on Amazon Alexa.
You can simply say “Alexa, open RNIB Talking Books” to access thousands of titles. RNIB Library and Reading Services are fully accessible via an Amazon Echo and you can also ask the device to call the RNIB Helpline.
Terms and conditions do apply. You must meet the following criteria:
- Be blind or partially sighted
- Be a UK resident
- Not currently own an Echo device
- Be connected to the internet
- Have an email address
- Have a smart phone, tablet or computer access, necessary to enable the device; this may be via friends or family if not personally owned
- Be for your own personal use; this device is not for resale
- One device per customer.
To register interest in the offer, please contact the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
7. MERTON VISION GRAND QUIZ EVENING
DATE: 12th November
TIME: 7:30-11:00 pm
VENUE: The Guardian Centre, 67 Clarendon Road SW19 2DX
COST: £5 per person (teams of 6)
Join Merton Vision for their grand quiz evening. There will be a licenced bar and a range of raffle prizes.
To reserve tickets, phone 020 8540 5446 or email info@mertonvision.org.uk
8. SOCIALLIGHT GROUP NOVEMBER MEETUP
This social/support group meets monthly and is designed to connect Disabled people aged between 18 and 45 years. Details of November’s meetup are below:-
Where: Arthur’s Café/Arthur’s Catering
170 Arthur Road, Wimbledon Park, London, SW19 8AQ
Website: https://www.arthurscafewimbledon.com/
When: Saturday, 13th November 2021
Time: 11 am-2 pm
Meetup group page: https://www.meetup.com/SocialLight-Group
Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/173727522697
For further information, please contact Imran (founder of the SocialLight Support Group) by email: sociallightsw19@gmail.com or by phone: 07835420497.
9. EYE MATTER SUPPORT GROUP
Eye Matter is a friendly peer support and activity group for vision impaired adults, which meets virtually via the Zoom platform. Their weekly meetings are as follows:-
- Monday 3 pm – 4 pm: Turning Surviving into Thriving
Our mental health wellbeing group - Tuesday 6pm – 7pm: Social
- Tuesday 7 pm- 8 pm (every fortnight): Activities for an adult audience including salsa, comedy, quizzes, meditation and mindfulness
- Wednesday 11 am: Cookery with VI tips
Easy yet delicious recipes - Wednesday 3:30 pm: Singing Workshop funded by the amazing
Baluji Music Foundation - First Thursday of every month at 11 am: Mothers’ Meeting
Come join us to discuss the things visually impaired parents have to deal with - Last Thursday of every month 11 am: Bookworms
Audiobook group - Friday 11 am: Social group followed at 12 pm by a fun activity, such as writing workshop, Neurobics (exercises for the brain), meditation, quizzes, and body conditioning.
- Saturday 8pm – 11pm: Sensational Saturdays
Join Desen and Fatma (AKA the new Ant and Dec) For a fun and crazy Saturday night
N.B. Tuesday and Friday lunchtime activities change each week.
For more information, contact Suzie at eyemattervi@gmail.com or phone 07523 266 421.
10. METRO BLIND SPORT
Metro Blind Sport is an organisation offering an impressive variety of activities, accessible to vision impaired people, ranging from athletics, football, bowling to walking, swimming and side-by-side cycling, to name but a few.
Information about all the accessible activities delivered by Metro and their partners can be found on the Metro Blind Sport website:-www.metroblindsport.org
11. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
- 2nd November: MONTHLY PUB SOCIAL (Ganley’s, Morden)
- 4th November: SWIMMING AT CANONS (7-8 pm every Thursday)
- 7th November: SUNDAY CYCLE RIDES
- 11th November: SWIMMING AT CANONS (7-8 pm every Thursday)
- 13th November: SOCIALLIGHT GROUP MEETUP
- 13th November: MERTON VISION GRAND QUIZ EVENING
- 18th November: SWIMMING AT CANONS (7-8 pm every Thursday)
- 20th November: SATURDAY CYCLE RIDES
- 25th November: SWIMMING AT CANONS (7-8 pm every Thursday)
- 28th November: WALK IN BEDDINGTON PARK
- 2nd December: SWIMMING AT CANONS (7-8 pm every Thursday)
- 5th December: SUNDAY CYCLE RIDES
- 7th December: CHRISTMAS SOCIAL AT GANLEY’S, MORDEN
- 28th December: WALK IN MORDEN HALL PARK
Merton Sports & Social Club for VI People (Charity No. 283843)
Email: info@mssc.org.uk
Website: www.mssc.org.uk
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