Retro Lounge Blast Off!
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 4
The YODC Retro Lounge has officially blasted off and if the launch event was anything to go by, we've landed exactly where we hoped to be.
Not in a traditional programme in any sense, but in a place where people can belong.
On a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, members, whanau, volunteers and supporters gathered at First Scene in Avondale to celebrate the beginning of something genuinely different for people living with young onset dementia.
Within minutes of arrival, guests were helping themselves to hot and cold drinks, sharing food, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. Before long, wigs were being tried on, sunglasses appeared from nowhere, and perfectly respectable adults began transforming into entirely new characters.
Unexpected visitors included Marilyn Monroe, a collection of glamorous rock stars, mysterious ghouls and more than a few people nobody recognised at first glance.
Exactly as it should be because the Retro Lounge isn't about fitting people into programmes.
It's about creating spaces where people feel free to immerse themselves, be playful, explore memories, discover new experiences and simply enjoy life together.
The guided tour of First Scene, led by Jo Pilkington and Alwyn Hamblyn, opened the doors to one of Auckland's most extraordinary treasures. More than forty years of creativity, imagination and storytelling sit within those walls, and our community embraced every minute of it.
People let their hair down - sometimes literally. Laughter ensued as guests stepped into different identities. They rediscovered a sense of fun that too often disappears from conversations about dementia.
For many, the experience was genuinely transformative and the success of the launch wasn't measured by attendance numbers or formal speeches. It was measured in smiles, laughter and a willingness of people to throw on a bright pink wig, become Elvis for ten minutes, sit on a gothic throne, or simply lose themselves in the wonder and nostalgia that First Scene inspires.
A special acknowledgement was made to members of our Collective who travelled from Waikato, including our friends from Series Two of The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes. (Still streaming on free to air TVNZ+)
Their presence reminded everyone why YODC exists as The Young Onset Dementia Collective grew directly from that remarkable experience. The people who participated showed Aotearoa that when expectations are raised and opportunities are created, extraordinary things happen.
They continue to lead the way and are living proof of what is possible. They continue to inspire everything we do.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Jo Pilkington, Alwyn Hamblyn and the entire First Scene team. Their generosity extends far beyond opening a building. They have opened a world of imagination, creativity and possibility for our community.
The Retro Lounge programme itself will officially commence in the coming weeks.
There will be music, entertainment, conversation, creativity, themed activities, laughter and fun. And, if Sunday's launch was anything to go by, the occasional appearance from Elvis, Marilyn and a few friendly monsters is to be expected.
Retro Lounge: Blast Off complete. The adventure has only just begun. INTERESTED? The first step is simple. GET IN TOUCH We would love to have a chat about whether the Retro Lounge is right for you or someone you care about. Contact details HERE
What Is The Retro Lounge?
The YODC Retro Lounge is a new community-based programme for people living with younger onset dementia.
Operating from First Scene's Retro Lounge in Rosebank Road, Avondale, it offers something that is surprisingly difficult to find: an age-appropriate place where people can simply spend time together without feeling like they have been pushed into an aged-care model that doesn't reflect who they are.
The programme has been designed around connection, contribution, choice and belonging.
Participants can enjoy:
Music and themed activities
Coffee, conversation and companionship
Arts and other activities for the creative, curious and artistic types
Films and shared entertainment
Sports and shared interests
Space to relax, laugh and be themselves
Opportunities to contribute and help shape the programme
Most importantly, the Retro Lounge is not built around what people have lost. It is built around who they still are.
As Jo says, her hope is that people come to see it as "their second home", a place where they feel safe, welcome, understood and genuinely connected.
For YODC community and whanau, that's exactly what makes it so special.
About First Scene
Established over 40 years ago, First Scene is recognized as having Aotearoa’s largest selection of costume and party props with over 400,000 items in stock. Many items have featured in local and international films, national theatre productions, television commercials and of course thousands of parties and celebrations around the country. The First Scene team's creative experience and wide ranging backgrounds enables them to offer the best support possible to ensure projects, events or productions are the talk of the town!
