Lunch club tuck in to raise funds

The St Nicholas Hospice Care Lunch Club, donated, cooked and served food at Great Barton Church Institute raising £1,115.71 in the process.

Christine Fitzgerald, Margaret Holdgate, Cathy Forge and Christine Wreathall met through the Hospice’s monthly Stepping Forward walking group for bereaved people and soon started following their regular walks with lunch afterwards.

The lunch club, which at the start had around six members, has continued to grow and it was whilst enjoying one of these lunches the ladies came up with their fundraising idea.

Margaret said: “The idea really came when we were having one of our lunches; we all decided it would be a good idea, and could perhaps help support the Hospice if we did a lunch for the whole group.

“”We decided to open the lunch up to people not connected to the Hospice to see if they would be interested and they were.

“We all enjoy doing it. For us, and others, the group has been a great way of meeting new people, and it also gives people the chance to enjoy a meal with others.”

In addition to the fundraising lunch, which took place on Sunday, 23 October a raffle was held – raising £330 – and donations were collected.

Christine said: “People are always so generous and everyone had a great time. People are already asking when they next one will be.

“The tickets really just sold themselves; we didn’t have to really advertise people just wanted to come along again.”

The meal, which started with a prawn cocktail, was followed by chicken in a honey and mustard sauce and finished with a selection of deserts provided by the diners, was enjoyed by more than 60.

A fellow member of the group made a donation of £200 which paid for much of the food.

Miranda McCoy, Hospice Community Fundraiser, said: “The Hospice lunch club is a fabulous group of supporters and yet again they have raised more than £1,000 for us which is fantastic. I know everyone enjoyed the scrumptious lunch and raffle so a big thank you to everyone involved.”