PEOPLE of all ages and backgrounds came together at the Broadgreen Community Centre last week to celebrate the contribution that migrants have made to the UK.

About 100 residents from across Swindon joined members of the United Lunch Club for a special gathering where they shared food, conversation and cultural performances from the town’s many diverse communities.

The one-off event was laid on as part of One Day Without Us, a national day of action aimed at recognising how much those who have made Britain their home have added to society over the years.

Hannah Parry, of Voluntary Action Swindon, who helped organise the event, said: “It’s been amazing. We can’t believe how many people have come along.

“We have probably had over 100 people here which is great to see - not only those from the United Lunch Club but so many others as well.”

Guests enjoyed food donated from many of the different communities in Swindon. Among the delights on offer were dishes from the Caribbean, Pakistan, a number of African countries, Germany, France and Spain.

Much of the food was made by individuals while some local restaurants also got involved.

“What we really wanted to do was to organise something that would have an ongoing impact after the day,” said Hannah.

“Doing a lunch has allowed us to bring people together who maybe wouldn’t have normally met each other.

“Food is such a great way to bring people together, to increase understanding and to build bonds between cultures.”

The United Lunch Club members who were part of the event were pleased to have the extra guests along for the day and hope to welcome them again at their weekly Monday sessions.

Local resident Keith Duffus, 69, has been involved with the club for 27 years.

“We started as an Afro-Caribbean lunch club but we wanted to open the door for everyone so we renamed it the United Lunch Club,” he said. “Anyone can come. We meet every Monday from 10am until 3pm — we’ve got music, we do exercise, we socialise — it’s not only food.”

Keith said he felt the act of coming together over food and sitting down to talk was the best way to build tolerance between communities.

“People can do protests,” he explained. “But it’s far better to come together like this.

“Today is a great day. I’ve seen a whole lot of people I’ve never seen before. Some of them have never been here before but we’re hoping they come back again.”