Portsmouth OAP party hosted by Southsea firefighters delights crowd with 'wonderful' performances

For the past few years, Covid-19 put a halt to the ever-popular OAP party, organised by Southsea Fire Station. But now, the show has returned, with hundreds of elderly men and women forming a sell-out crowd at Portsmouth Guildhall.

Guests were treated to performances from the city’s Chinese association, dance troops and singers, with smiles and cheers abound. Some ladies in the crowd then whooped with delight as firemen performed for them on stage.

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Now in its 40th year, the show has gone from strength to strength, now overseen by crew manager Beth Medway.

She said: ‘It’s nice to have everyone back together after a few years out and we’ve had loads of support from the community, which is just so heartwarming. I feared that we might have lost some people but our regulars are still here in force, and it’s great to have a full house.

‘I had people phoning up as early as June last year to ask about it, and seeing everyone here has been absolutely wonderful.’

One of the regular attendees was 86-year-old Eileen Bradshaw – who was delighted to have the party back in her calendar.

‘I’ve been coming for the past 12 years or so and it’s always so wonderful,’ she said.

‘Every single one of the performances has been brilliant; the firefighters always work so hard to put everything together and we’re so grateful to them for it.’

Her friend Lesley Craddock, 76, added: ‘It's my first time coming here and I am very impressed with it all. What those firefighters did with the towels on stage was really clever.’

On the other side of the room, relatives Rita Gill, Sue Standy and Val Cross were laughing away together as sandwiches and coffee were served to the tables.

Rita, 91 from Southsea, said: ‘I heard about the show through my sheltered accommodation; we’ve had a lovely time and I’d like to come again next year.’

Sue, 59, added: ‘It’s our first time coming and I really didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been so much fun. The children who were performing were all brilliant.’