Geoff Helisma|

Every Friday, up to 45 of the Yamba Osprey RSL Day Club’s members meet up at the Yamba Bowling Club to participate in organised activities, but “to keep all of this ticking over … we need a bus driver”, says the club’s president, Leanne Christie.

And what is all of this? RSL NSW spells it out on its website, “Day clubs offer a setting in which to develop friendships and social support networks by providing the opportunity for members to be involved in a varied program of stimulating activities that enhance health and wellbeing.”

However, while it is a Returned Services League initiative, people who join day clubs are “not required [to] be a member of an ex-service organisation or … a veteran or an ex-service member”.

Leanne says a regular day’s activities consist of morning tea, light exercise, trivia, bingo, lunch then games – usually card games like euchre and rummikub.

“But to keep all of this ticking over, like it has for the past 20-odd years, we need a bus driver,” says Leanne.

“Someone who can start picking up members at 8.30am then come back in the afternoon to drop them off from 1.45pm, driving the bowling club’s bus.

“We also have a conductor to assist people on and off the bus.”

Claire Wotton, 83, says she “looks forward to every Friday” because she has “no one else to talk to” during the rest of the week.

“I think it’s wonderful to come here and exercise and enjoy the company; and I hear a bit about what is going on about the place and that sort of thing.

“It’s good to get picked up from my front door, otherwise I might not be able to get out at all.”

Ironically, Claire would have joined earlier, but she thought she had to belong to the RSL.

Leanne says Claire “gets on Facebook every week to tell what she’s been up to, so [her family] doesn’t need to worry about what Mum’s up to anymore”.

Leanne says she “gets a lot” out of her club membership, too.

“I retired and moved here.

“I originally came in because someone said, ‘Why don’t you come along and see what it is?’

“I was looking after the club’s paperwork and when the last president stepped down, I was voted in and thought, ‘Why not? It’ll keep me busy on Fridays.’”

“People need to get out and not be stuck at home, and they can make new friendships coming here … some only get out on Fridays.”

People interested in the volunteer bus driver position or those seeking more information about the Osprey Day Club should contact Leanne Christie on 0413 101 518.