Church Services

Learning & Growing

Outreach

Christian Fellowship

Giving & Caring

Parish Diary & News

Music at St. Chads

Church Building

Social Activities

Contact us

Parish Centre

Lunch Club

St Chad 's Lunch Club

On 15th July 2009 the Lunch Club celebrated the completion of 25 years of meeting together, with the addition of wine and a cake to our usual two-course meal. Back in the summer of 1984 Noreen Abel, the wife of the then Vicar, thought there was a need in the area for a meeting place for those in the community who perhaps did not have the opportunity to get out too often and meet others. Eating a meal together gave the meeting purpose. Social Services arranged the provision of the meal and St Chad 's provided a venue and the volunteers to bring people in, serve and wash up afterwards. And here we are, 25 years later, some of us still doing exactly that!

None of the ‘clients' have actually withstood this length of time but we still have four of the original volunteers who turn up each week to whom we are extremely grateful (well to 3 of them as I can't thank myself!). Jim Reddyhoff has acted as Treasurer since the Club's inception and Edwin Ross has brought people in by car each week and been a mainstay of the Club. Judith Small and myself have been in the kitchen serving the food and washing up (we know our place!). Margaret Hartley, Kath Bennett and the late Elsie Thompson nearly made the quarter century, having retired only a year or two ago but 17 people still help out in one way or another, weekly, fortnightly or monthly and we do thank every one of them.

We now serve about 24 meals each week – Wednesdays at 12 noon – cost £3 – but 25 years ago we had 40 or more attending. (Mind you, in those days, the Over 60 Club had more than 60 members rather than the 4 or 5 it has now. People ‘joined' groups more in those days).

I came to run the club by default really. When Brian Abel moved on in 1986/7 Noreen asked if I would run the Lunch Club just until the next Vicar came and something was settled. I'm still waiting – but it has been a pleasure to meet all the people who have attended over the years. Getting older isn't too good sometimes and people do have problems but all our members seem to forget them at the door with their news and chatter. Once people start coming it takes something big such as leaving the area or being ill to stop them attending.

And long may it continue. Committee-wise things will have to change in the near future as we four original volunteers feel that the time is coming for us to step down but the Club will go on from strength to strength I'm sure. So if you would like to join and are over retirement age, do give me a ring for we have ever expanding dining tables and we would love to see you. If you fancy helping out in some way do get in touch too. It is fun – honestly!

Valerie Varker