There’s no prohibition at Friends of the Elderly’s Woking Day Care Service’s as they held their 1920s party to celebrate the charity’s 120th anniversary

Friends of the Elderly’s Woking Day Care Service marked the charity’s 120th anniversary with a Roaring Twenties-themed celebration, transforming its centre into a speakeasy for the day. The service supports people living with dementia and other age-related conditions.

The party, held on Friday, August 8, saw clients and staff dressed for the era, with flapper dresses, feather headbands and even a 1920s gangster complete with braces and moustache. The day opened with a Charleston dance class led by the care team, who had rehearsed the famous swivels to get everyone on the floor.

“Knowing how much our clients enjoy music and dancing, it felt like the perfect way to celebrate,” said Service Manager, Fran Simpson. “They absolutely adored it. Everyone was up, laughing, joking and Charleston-ing away.”

After the dancing came a buffet lunch, followed by live entertainment from singer Paul Hudson of Mack Entertainment. Performing classics by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, he had clients singing along to Rat Pack favourites.

Interactive games added to the fun, with prizes for clients who rolled a lucky six on the dice. The party also prompted reminiscence sessions, with clients sharing their own knowledge of the 1920s, including stories of John Logie Baird’s early television demonstration and the first newspaper crossword in the Sunday Express.

“The 1920s Charleston Party was a huge success; the clients are still talking about it,” said Shirley Bradley, Friends of the Elderly’s Head of Day Care Services. “Now we’re already looking ahead to the next event – and Halloween costumes are firmly in the lead.”