Summer Party 2026
Around 150 older people, volunteers and guests gathered at Loddon Hall in Twyford on Saturday 27 June for The Link Visiting Scheme's annual Summer Party.
For many of the people we support, the party is one of the biggest social occasions of the year, something to look forward to, get dressed up for, and spend a whole afternoon in good company.
Music came from Bandissimo, who had the hall singing and dancing for most of the afternoon. Afterwards, they told us:
"It truly was a celebration of friendship, the joy of live music, and all that can be achieved by an exceptional team of volunteers!"
Alongside the music there was a hot meal, a raffle, and plenty of time for guests to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.
Marjie Walker, CEO of The Link Visiting Scheme, said:
"Our Summer Party is much more than just an afternoon out. Having something special to look forward to, getting dressed up, sharing a meal, enjoying music and spending time with other people can make a real difference to someone's wellbeing. For many of the older people we support, opportunities like this help them feel connected, valued and celebrated. That's why events like our Summer Party are such an important part of our calendar each year."
What our guests said
"The party was superb." – Ken
"I wanted to pass on my thanks for a fantastic day. I loved all of it – the band, how hard the volunteers worked, the food, and I was delighted to win a raffle prize! Sitting with friends I'd met through The Cameo Club made it even more special." – Chris
"I really enjoyed the Link Summer Party. The band were great too. Please thank all the people who made the effort to make it happen. Link are wonderful and I appreciate everything they do!" – Anne
Our new Young Volunteers Club
This year's party also marked the launch of our Young Volunteers Club - a way for the children and young people of our volunteers to get involved and help out alongside their parent or guardian.
There's good evidence that people who volunteer as children are more likely to keep volunteering as adults, and that early experiences of helping others support confidence, wellbeing and social skills.
Our first Young Volunteers (three teenagers and an eight-year-old) helped set up the hall, served food, chatted with Link Friends and got plenty of people onto the dance floor. One parent told us afterwards:
"I just wanted to message you to say what a wonderful time the kids and I had on Saturday. Honestly, all three of them got in the car and said they loved it. The event was fantastic. The folks who attended were lovely, the volunteers were welcoming, and it was such a pleasure to meet you all. I can promise you that if there are other opportunities for my lot to help out, they will jump at it. They were buzzing for hours after."
Seeing older and younger guests chatting and dancing together was one of the best parts of the day.
Thank you
The Summer Party only happens because of the people who give up their time to make it work — organising, driving guests to and from the hall, cooking, serving, selling raffle tickets and clearing up afterwards. Thank you to every one of them.
Special thanks to the Berkshire Freemasons, who worked hard from start to finish on the day, and to BNRST.ORG for funding the event.
Photos courtesy of Steve at mug-shots.me.uk.