In October 2020, PACE launched a weekly online social session called PACE Pals. It was created to tackle isolation and the lack of person-to-person contact due to multiple lockdowns throughout the year.

The aim was simple – to create a positive, safe environment for our members to connect, laugh and confide with one another, whether that be their weekly activities, what they have been watching or listening to or just sharing their favourite anecdotes.

The response was incredible. Since day one, we have had a strong group of members who have joined every single PACE Pals session, thus validating why we created in the first place.

In 2021, due to increased demand, PACE Pals added a second session to discuss social issues, such as, mental health, accessibility and online dating. All of these topics have one thing in common, that being, all of them have an impact on our members’ lives. This pandemic has unfortunately amplified all these issues and as PACE is committed to empowering our members in all aspects of their lives, it plans to continue these sessions even after PACE returns to its usual activities at the Havelock Community Centre and in the community.

Talking about the positive reception to PACE Pals, host, Alex Dukes, said…

I’m honestly humbled, but also thrilled on how well PACE Pals has gone these past 7 months or so. I remember just before the first session, I was speaking with Reshad, (co-host) talking about our expectations and where we could take the session. I remember telling him even if we only get one person that shows up then it would be a success. So fast forward to now and to still have a dedicated group of 7-8 people that show up to both sessions every week is amazing”.

Regular member Chirag, also said…

PACE Pals has really helped me process and deal with the difficult challenges presented by the pandemic. The weekly sessions mean I always know I can talk to people and discuss issues weighing on my mind. And more often than not my friends reassure my worries, which is a huge help”

PACE Pals is on every Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm. If you’d like to join in, head over to our events page where you can find the event and registration details.