Welcome to T.O.F.Y. club
A concept, which in a short time has started to really take off in Middlesbrough.
So who are T.O.F.Y. club?
We originated in 2013 by Volunteering Matters who started a group for over 50's men to enjoy the benefits of weekly meetings, having health and fitness, social and reminiscence sessions. Organised and run by volunteers from the organisation along with a fitness instructor provided by the council.
The original name of the group was Sporting Chance and the project was funded for three years, which meant they would be required to form and fund their own group if they wanted to continue after that timescale.
The enjoyment and rapid growth of the group inspired the men to form a committee and start charging a small voluntary subscription to gather funds to support the continuation of the group.
This led to the group to go on to realise their new found status. Out of these meetings a new name for the group was suggested, The Over Fifties Youth Club, a slightly tongue in cheek idea which everyone thought would work really well, as it sort of summed up the new found rejuvenation that was running through the men at that time.
They also decided to look for a larger venue, the ones being used became unsuitable with the growth rate of the group and getting a bit cramped for all the activities being provided. Shortly before September 2016, the committee were offered a very good deal to take up an opportunity in the Southlands Centre, which would provide a really large gym, storage for the equipment they had acquired over the years and a mess room with tea/coffee making facilities.
A vote was taken by all member and was unanimously carried forward to move to the new venue at the beginning of October 2016. So began The Over Fifties Youth Club, with members aged up to Ninety Six year old, a venue which is hired, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 12 noon each day and was more suited to the needs of the group.
A new coach was hired to introduce a physical workout between warm ups/downs and lots of activity in the way of games such as table tennis, carpet bowls, badminton, walking football and much more.
To meet the costs of hire of the venue and coach, has meant a small charge by all members for each session, with the first two sessions free for new members. Funding has been raised by members of the committee to keep these subscriptions as low as possible, with more funding being sought.
The council have put in place moves to sell-off the Southlands Centre, and so give The Over Fifties Youth club Committee, a bit of a headache in trying to find a new venue. But, as they say when one door shuts... Another has been opened wide in the form of the new Sports Village on Marton Road run by Everone Active, who have been enthusiastic about the group, an offer was made by them for the TOFY club to use all their facilities. This offer was promptly taken up, and we transferred to the new venue in September 2017.
A concept, which in a short time has started to really take off in Middlesbrough.
So who are T.O.F.Y. club?
We originated in 2013 by Volunteering Matters who started a group for over 50's men to enjoy the benefits of weekly meetings, having health and fitness, social and reminiscence sessions. Organised and run by volunteers from the organisation along with a fitness instructor provided by the council.
The original name of the group was Sporting Chance and the project was funded for three years, which meant they would be required to form and fund their own group if they wanted to continue after that timescale.
The enjoyment and rapid growth of the group inspired the men to form a committee and start charging a small voluntary subscription to gather funds to support the continuation of the group.
This led to the group to go on to realise their new found status. Out of these meetings a new name for the group was suggested, The Over Fifties Youth Club, a slightly tongue in cheek idea which everyone thought would work really well, as it sort of summed up the new found rejuvenation that was running through the men at that time.
They also decided to look for a larger venue, the ones being used became unsuitable with the growth rate of the group and getting a bit cramped for all the activities being provided. Shortly before September 2016, the committee were offered a very good deal to take up an opportunity in the Southlands Centre, which would provide a really large gym, storage for the equipment they had acquired over the years and a mess room with tea/coffee making facilities.
A vote was taken by all member and was unanimously carried forward to move to the new venue at the beginning of October 2016. So began The Over Fifties Youth Club, with members aged up to Ninety Six year old, a venue which is hired, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 12 noon each day and was more suited to the needs of the group.
A new coach was hired to introduce a physical workout between warm ups/downs and lots of activity in the way of games such as table tennis, carpet bowls, badminton, walking football and much more.
To meet the costs of hire of the venue and coach, has meant a small charge by all members for each session, with the first two sessions free for new members. Funding has been raised by members of the committee to keep these subscriptions as low as possible, with more funding being sought.
The council have put in place moves to sell-off the Southlands Centre, and so give The Over Fifties Youth club Committee, a bit of a headache in trying to find a new venue. But, as they say when one door shuts... Another has been opened wide in the form of the new Sports Village on Marton Road run by Everone Active, who have been enthusiastic about the group, an offer was made by them for the TOFY club to use all their facilities. This offer was promptly taken up, and we transferred to the new venue in September 2017.