The Workshop was founded in 1961 by the Windsor & Eton Rotary Club with monies given by the members in memory of Mr Spencer Denney, a very popular rotarian and prominent citizen of Windsor. The purpose which promoted the development of the workshop was that of helping those who, by reason of their age, were unable to continue in normal employment and thus to keep well in body and mind.

The work is obtained from commercial firms and is undertaken in conditions which allow each worker to fulfil a service to the community without having to compete in the rush and bustle of full employment.

The Workshop is open daily from 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm five days a week and our ‘workers’ as we call them, received a small hourly wage. Free transport is provided in the form of a minibus donated by the Round Table. The tasks undertaken are always within the physical capacity of the workers and mostly comprise simple assembly jobs which include assembling and packing of tie racks, collating for printers, assembling and painting wooden toy horses, assembling electric plugs and marking plastic bags. We are most grateful to all the firms who provide us with work.

The workshop staff comprises a lady supervisor with four part-time assistants and is managed by an honorary committee of people from all walks of life including professional and business men and housewives.

The expenses of the workshop are in the main met from the income received from firms who pay the ordinary commercial rate for outwork but the County Council makes a generous contribution, the District Council provides a grant and with assistance from Rotary, Round Table. Inner Wheel and other local organisations, we manage to remain solvent.

The workshop started in the basement of the Congregational Church, Williams Street, but when we outgrew this we moved to Clewer Lodge, an old house due for demolition belonging to the Council. Berkshire County Council then built us our own workshop where we now are on the site of the Lodge and during the building period we were based at the builders yard.

There can be no doubt of the tremendous value of the scheme to the elderly. The congenial surroundings, the company of others, the knowledge that their work is of service to the community and the necessity of leaving the shelter of their homes each day results in a general improvement in health, physical appearance, happiness and contentment.

Anyone who receives an old age pension or is over retirement age, both men and women, is welcome at the workshop. Also by special arrangement with the County Social Services Department we take a limited number of physically disabled. We are also pleased to received visitors who are interested in out scheme.

Dedworth & District Day Centre was formed by a group of volunteers in 1984 at the instigation of Berkshire County Council. The centre started originally through the local churches working together, and with the support of Age Concern Berkshire.

In November 1997 a permanent home was found with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, at the Spencer Denney Centre. This had previously been used as a workshop for older people.

The Centre is a single storey building with a kitchen together with a dining room and lounge area, IT room and office. The centre its facilities are fully accessible.

Age Concern became involved in 2003 and the volunteer group was able to draw on their facilities and expertise.