Jim and Peter who attend the Guideposts Learning and Activity Day Service (GLADS) were house-mates before coming to us. Since coming to the service, their bond has developed and they have discovered greater motivation, and more shared interests including a love of the card-game Blackjack!

Early in 2016 Jim was living alone and had been for some time which he confesses was lonely and difficult.  In February of that year, it was suggested that Peter be introduced as a possible housemate!  Peter was shown around and with Jim’s consent, moved in the next day. 

Both of them now smile as they admit that, ‘At first they got off to a rocky start’.  They jointly speak of the mess and chaos of trying to fit Peter in to an established home.  However, the two of them soon bonded over their joint passions of sport and music and found that life was quite comfortable with someone to share things such as food, cleaning duties and leisure time.  Jim talks of Peter introducing him to lots of sports and although they have their individual favourites – Jim loves snooker and bowls whereas Peter has a passion for football and is a Liverpool supporter – they jointly agree that they will both happily watch most sports together. ‘Anything really’!  Was the consensus on what they like to watch best!  They also have a radio at home and enjoy most genres of music with Meatloaf and Status Quo named as Peter’s favourites, and Michael Jackson, Elvis and so many more mentioned by Jim!

It is clear to see the bond between the two of them and how they look out for each other, with Jim’s sister describing it as a lovely, brotherly relationship.

After about six years of living together Jim and Peter decided they would try out Guideposts to give themselves a change of scenery!

They had separate tours around the GLADS premises, and both say they were a little apprehensive at first and not sure if they would like something so new to them.

Jim is the first to exclaim about how much that has now changed for him, he loves coming to GLADS, saying, “I can’t get enough of it now, I really look forward to coming and I find everyone there to be good and helpful people”.

Peter who is the quieter of the pair nods to this.

Jim said he has surprised himself by finding that on his attendance days he gets up early, at a time he hasn’t seen for years and years!  But he has discovered he really likes getting-up for the purpose of coming-in to see everyone to join in the fun and to be with people that he’s enjoyed getting to know!

When asked what they like to do most at Guideposts, they were at first undecided, Peter said he liked the colouring – he is particularly drawn to any transport pictures.  Peter also mentions that he likes getting out for our walk in the fresh air, but when inside he enjoys games like snakes and ladders.  Jim agreed with Peter and said he really enjoys scoring games like throwing a ball into various receptacles; points awarded on the difficulty of the shot!  Both Peter and Jim were good at this game, however the one they really took to was Blackjack!

We introduced this card game just after New Year and both Jim and Peter took to it immediately, combining a good deal of beginners’ luck with a natural flare.  The real joy of the game though was the laughter it caused. Newly tried out expressions like ‘The scores on the doors’ or ‘Would you risk it for a biscuit’? had the whole group laughing and both Peter and Jim found the entire game so funny and entertaining that this week was the first time they made a firm request…  they wanted to play Blackjack again!  Which, of course, we did, with much the same results – that both Jim and Peter won more hands than the rest of us, while finding lots of reason to laugh out loud!

When asked if they were tired after a day at GLADS they both nodded with feeling, “Tired, but happy”, Jim tells me, “because we’ve had a really good day”!

Find out more about Guideposts Learning and Activity Day Service here: https://guideposts.org.uk/glads-day-centre/