The Community Hub at Westbank has been brimming with activity in the run-up to Christmas, and it’s been wonderful to see people taking part in our calendar of festive events for all ages. The Community Hub is a large, multi-purpose room within our Healthy Living Centre at Farm House Rise in Exminster that’s open Monday - Friday 9 am to 5 pm.

Initially set up as our warm winter space (which it still is), it runs as an open-access facility year-round, including a Community Larder and Fridge that anyone can use, regardless of whether the room is in use or not. The shelves are regularly restocked, and people can help themselves to food and toiletry items without judgement. As you can imagine, our Larder and Fridge supplies are particularly welcome at this time of year when household budgets are under even more pressure than usual.

As well as providing a warm, welcoming space that’s open to all, we provide a wide range of activities to reduce loneliness and social isolation. At this time of year, we lay on special events to complement our regular weekly group activities.  December got off to a great start with the final show performed by drama students from the University of Exeter, which was very well received. The students have been coming to our Tuesday Ladies’ Hobbies and Afternoon Tea group for six weeks to run a workshop that has brought joy, creativity and connection to our community.

A few days later, our service users were in fine voice for a Christmas Karaoke. Their impromptu performances were followed by a carefully rehearsed one in mid-December when Exminster Community Primary School choir came to sing for us as part of our Christmas Cracker Lunch for our Monday Lunch and Social Club. The choir performs for us every Christmas, and it lifts everyone’s spirits to hear their sweet voices singing festive tunes and carols. We also welcomed a group from Exeter Pre-prep School who performed songs they were practising for their nativity event, including amazing actions relating to running donkeys!

On Wednesday 17th our buffet-style Christmas Lunch in the Hub was truly magical because we were entertained by a local magician who has the knack of getting everyone involved in his act - young and old - without anyone feeling singled out. Supporting and engaging with the community is central to everything we do at Westbank Community Health and Care. We don’t have a magic wand, but we do have a wonderful team of volunteers who sprinkle their own kind of stardust, helping to conjure up hampers, put up decorations, facilitate transport and generally look after anyone who comes along to join us.

Food is a big part of any Christmas celebration, and our festive-themed Fresh Air Friday Lunch was no exception. Meanwhile, our Community Cookery School - a purpose-built teaching kitchen - held a free Family Cooking Session where up to two children, accompanied by an adult, learned how to cook a tasty meal that they could take home and share with the whole family. A delicious tray-baked roast chicken was on the menu, instead of turkey, with all the trimmings you expect at this time of year - roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots, sticky red cabbage, buttered sprouts, Yorkshire puddings and gravy. Vegetarian and vegan options were also available. 

With the Big Day fast approaching, I’d like to wish you a very Happy Christmas from everyone at Westbank Community Health and Care. 2026 will be a very special year for us as we’ll be celebrating our 40th anniversary. More on that in next year’s columns. Wishing you all the very best this festive season.

Find out more about What’s On at Westbank here: www.westbank.org.uk

This article was first published in The Moorlander.