Olney – A Guide for the Elderly

Maintaining social connections and engaging in new and exciting activities are incredibly important to our mental and physical health as we age. For the elderly population in Olney, there are a wide variety of clubs, exercise classes, and services to support a social, happy, and healthy life. From lunch clubs to accessible outings, this senior guide to Olney will highlight the best senior-friendly offerings to help you stay active and connected with your community.

Explore our live-in care options in Olney to learn how we can help you or your loved one maintain independence and receive personalised care at home.

What services are available to the elderly in Olney?

Olney is a historic market town with a rich past, and a vibrant community that offers a range of services and activities for the elderly population. Home of the ‘Amazing Grace’ hymn, there are many historic points of interest in Olney to explore and enjoy, as well as social support and activities for the elderly.. Discover the best that this town has to offer for the elderly below.

Senior social clubs in Olney

Olney Over 50’s Table Tennis Club

Join this social table tennis club for the over 50’s at the Olney Centre! Come along to the evening open session on Thursdays from 7:30 pm to 9 pm to see it in action and find out more about membership. Call Richard Heyes at (01234) 712599 or email rheyes@btinternet.com for more.

Olney Bridge Club

Perfect for bridge enthusiasts, play about 24 hands in a relaxed environment at the Olney Centre. Tea, coffee, and biscuits are available as you play. Join in on the fun on Mondays from 7 pm to 9:45 pm.

Age UK Lunch Club

For two delicious courses at the price of £7.50, join Age UK at the Olney Centre for their over-55’s drop-in. This lunch club is available every Thursday. The doors open at 11 am, and lunch is served at 12:30 pm. Call Age UK MK at 01908550700 for more information.

Newport Pagnell & Olney Lions Club

This is a club focused on community service and fundraising for various causes. While not a social club, they do offer an active social calendar. Members enjoy days out to the theatre, restaurant trips, and even whisky tastings. Business meetings are on the first Monday of the month at the Two Brewers, High St, Olney. Social meetings and events take place on the third week of each month.

Walking Football

Enjoy exercise, meeting new people, and a slow-paced game of football with the Milton Keynes Walking Football team. Adults over the age of 50 are welcome to join at £4 a session. They play at The Dome, Woughton on the Green from 10 to 11 in the morning. For more information, contact Sharon Wates at sharon.wates@mkdonsset.com.

Simply Walk

Simply Walk offers over 60 walks of varying levels across Buckinghamshire. Walkers of all abilities are welcome to join, and there are trained walk leaders and backmarkers available to assist you. There are some weekly walks available in Milton Keynes, meeting at the Waitrose Car Park, MK18 1RS. These shorter, slower-paced walks last for approximately an hour and start every Friday morning at 10:45 for an 11 am start. Find all of the details here.

Kitchener Day Care Centre

This day centre aims to provide a relaxed community setting for older residents of Olney and the surrounding villages who are physically frail or who struggle with dementia. This Monday to Friday service offers:

• Transportation to and from the centre with a wheelchair-accessible minibus
• A hot two-course meal
• DBS cleared staff for working with vulnerable adults
• Gentle exercise, games, and quizzes
• Singing and music
• Arts and crafts
• Entertainment events

You can access this service after undergoing an assessment to determine if you are eligible.

Olney & District Gardening Club

Meet like-minded gardeners and enjoy occasional summer outings with the Olney & District Gardening Club. They meet on the last Tuesday of most months at the Onley Centre from 7:30 to 9:30 in the evening. Contact Mary Crouch on 01234711503 for more information

Olney Seniors’ Club

This club meets on Friday afternoons at the Olney Centre, from 2 pm to 4 pm. They offer a range of activities, including bingo, board games, and guest speakers. Contact Diane Griffin on 01234 712587 for more information.

Explore the clubs and societies available in Olney here. For a comprehensive directory for older people living in the Milton Keynes area, see this Age UK guide.

Accessible activities in Olney

Olney is brimming with history and offers a number of museums, galleries, green spaces, and places of interest that are suitable for elderly people and those with limited mobility. These are some of the top accessible activities in Olney.

Salcey Forest

This ancient semi-natural woodland is a great location for visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy walking and a day out in nature. There is an on-site cafe, and you can find an accessible toilet facility at the visitor information centre. You can expect level access at the main entrance, and from the car park, there is level access with the trails at least 940mm wide.

Cowper & Newton Museum

This museum showcases the house and gardens of the 18th-century poet William Cowper. In the house, you can walk through time in rooms that feature his personal artefacts. On the top floor of the museum, you will find the Three Hares Gallery which exhibits works by local artists. There is also a stunning garden and summer house to explore.

Although some paths in the gardens are narrow and uneven at points, the shop, courtyard, and Viper Barn are completely wheelchair and mobility scooter accessible. The Viper Barn also offers interactive audio and visual equipment.

After checking out the museum, you can also retrace William Cowper’s favourite walk around Olney where you will see some of the places that inspired him when writing the ‘Olney hymns’.

Bletchley Park

Only a 20-minute drive from Olney, you will find the museum and heritage attraction, Bletchley Park. Here, you can enjoy exhibitions, immersive films, interactive displays, and recreated WWII rooms that explore the incredible achievements of Britain’s WWII codebreakers.

The museum entrance has step-free access and all the exhibitions are on the ground floor with ramps on-site for easy access. There is also a disabled access lift available to enter The Intelligence Factory and The Art of Data exhibition. Other accessible features include plenty of disabled parking options, wheelchairs that are available to borrow from the visitor centre, and audio description options.

Emberton Country Park

Enjoy gentle lakeside walks, wildlife, and 200 acres of unspoilt parkland at Emberton Country Park. Entry is free for those with a displayed blue badge permit, with parking near the cafe and access to accessible toilets. The main pathway through the park features a paved surface that is suitable for wheelchairs.

Olney Markets

As a market town, Olney hosts vibrant markets every Thursday and a Farmer’s Market on the first Sunday of every month. You can find these markets in the town’s historical centre, and they offer an assortment of locally sourced produce, baked goods, housewares, and more.

Local Olney Doctors and Hospitals

Doctors

• Cobbs Garden Surgery – 01234 490377
• Hanslope Surgery – 01908 510230
• Kingfisher Surgery – 01908 618265
• Newport Pagnell Medical Centre – 01908 611767
• Sharnbrook Surgery – 01234 781449
• Wollaston Surgery – 01933 664214

Hospitals

• Bedford – 01234 355122
• Milton Keynes General – 01908 660033
• Northampton General – 01604 634700

Local Olney Pharmacies

• Cox & Robinson – 01234711203

Explore our Olney live-in care options if you are looking for support at home for yourself or a loved one in Olney. There to provide companionship and specialised support, an Olney live-in carer can help you live a happier and more independent life in your community.