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Extra Time performs at the Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft

02 Dec, 2025

We spent a brilliant morning at the Memory Cafe at the Seagull Theatre in Lowestoft – and learnt no end of things, not least that it’s never too late to take up sport.

Diane took up running at 68. She’s run all sorts of marathons, in all sorts of weather, and even won a magnum of Prosecco … for being last. Her view is that somebody has to be last, and she’s happy to be that person, as it means nobody else has to be.

Mick played football and was a referee, as well as winning awards for tenpin bowling and darts. However, judging by their enthusiasm, the real winner at darts was the cheese and onion sandwiches that were always served during the inter-pub matches.

There were other stories about famous footballers who married into the family, family meal times that became famous battle grounds and a chap who had the loveliest pair of legs ever seen.

Here’s Dean’s take on the morning

A group of adults seated around a table. In the background, right, is a white door beside which is a firesurround with a landscape painting on the top and shelves to the other side. On the table are cups and a plate with a single biscuit on it. Some people appear to be talking in an animated way, whilst others sit looking on, arms crossed

The marathon runner, a county referee and a tap dancer - to name but a few

A group of adults seated around a table, drinking mugs of coffee and with a plate of biscuits. They are chatting to one another whilst a couple appear to be looking at a book. A gentleman in the right foreground, wearing a mustard coloured hoody under a green jacket is looking to the side, whilst the man seated beside him grins broadly

Chatting about darts, tenpin bowling - and the delicious cheese and onion sandwiches

A row of three gentlemen seated, looking towards the camera. The chap in the middle is wearing a scarf of many colours. Large glass doors behind open to a view of a car park with several vehicles in place

Dean having a jolly good chat with a couple of the chaps at the Seagull

A monotone photograph of a women's football team, circa 1925, with three rows of women in football kit flanked on either side by a man, one in a dark waistcoat and the other with a towel over his shoulder

Pat's mum played for Dagenham

A woman grins broadly towards the camera, a Christmas tree behind her to the left

We had a lovely chat - and thank you for the tip about decaffeinated tea

A gentleman dressed in a striped V-neck jumper and with arms crossed smiles towards the camera whilst a woman seated beside him, dressed in a purple zipped top holds a Colouring for Mindfulness book open at a page she's been working on

Sharing some of her artwork

Having a good old laugh

Two women sit a table strewn with papers and the Extra Time Story Box. They are smiling as one holds the large collar of her woolly jumper and the other, hands crossed in her lap, looks towards the camera

Thank you for making us feel so welcome at the Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft

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‘My mum played football, only she played roller skate football, down at Forest Gate Roller Skate Rink.’

‘I took up running when I was 68. I took part in the Great North Run, when Mo Farah was competing - it took me well over an hour to get to the start, there were so many of us, and he'd finished the race before I'd even started.’

‘Mick scored 299 out of a possible 300 points at tenpin bowling. He was awarded a special plaque that they displayed at the venue, but then it burned down, and the plaque was destroyed, too.’

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