By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead

The annual Ageing Well Torbay Festival – a celebration of older people – is taking place online and on radio for the second year in a row.

Sadly, plans for a massive get together at the Riviera Centre in Torquay have had to be postponed to March next year because of COVID, but the party will go ahead on Friday, October 1^st only virtually.

The @Home Festival is due to be live-streamed from the home page of the Ageing Well Torbay website between 10am in the morning and 2pm in the afternoon, and on Riviera 107.9FM between 10am and 11am, and 1pm and 2pm.

Once again, we have pulled together a cornucopia of talent from across the Bay, and the Festival will feature a traditional mix of music, dance, talks, exercise, advice, hidden histories and much, much more.

But what makes this year’s Festival even more special is the opportunity to join friends to watch it in venues across the Bay at special screenings that will be hosted by Community Builders.

You can join Victoria Campbell at The Edge in Brixham by giving her a ring on 07832 781031, or Amanda Lynn at the All Saints Church Hall, Cary Avenue in Babbacombe by calling 07548 704792. You could join others at the Torquay Museum by calling Marianne Parker on 07469 660875 or at the Together Church in  St James Road, Torre with Leah Whitcher by calling  07703 715235. You could join Theo Tanser at Barton Baptist Church in Happaway Road by calling 07599 993987. Finally, you can enjoy the Festival in the splendid surroundings of the Palace Theatre in Paignton by calling Ruth Tshoukas on 07703 715236.

It should be a great day with music from the Torbay Rock Choir, Maggie Duffy and Jane Anderson, history talks from Kevin Dixon, exercise classes with Anne George and Lisa Kay. There’s a bit of theatre with the South Devon Players and fascinating life stories from Frank Wye and Rodger Smith.

IN addition there is sound advice from the Devon and Cornwall police on how to avoid being scammed and lots of good pointers from the Torbay and South Devon NHS Healthy Lifestyles team.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg – and this column is not nearly long enough to list everything, but if you want more detail go to the ageingwelltorbay.com website for a programme.

Don’t forget! Friday, October 1^st (the World Health Organizations International Day of Older People) between 10am and 2pm. It should be fun!