Community United for special lunch (From Swindon Advertiser)

Community United for special lunch in Swindon

10:58am Tuesday 31st July 2012 in News

A LUNCH club which has united an array of communities across the town celebrated its 23rd year yesterday.

The United Community Lunch Club, which meets at the Broad Green Community Centre, marked the occasion with a special celebratory lunch.

Originally the Caribbean Lunch Club, the group was originally set up by Age Concern until 2009 but has carried on going from strength to strength.

Gloria Morgan, 72, of Toothill, has been part of the club since the beginning. She said: “The group has extended a lot and it now brings together quite a selection of ethnic minority people every Monday.

“I don’t think any of us thought it would still be going strong after 23 years – a lot of people started coming because they didn’t have anything else to do, then these people invited others and it just took off.

“We have a lot of activities going on, from crochet, knitting, art and light exercise. It is very community based.”

Tom Harris, 76, of the town centre, said: “Originally we would just meet on Mondays but we asked the council for a second day, so the club now meets on Thursdays as well. You get to meet people that you can chat to because you have lots in common and we are all of a similar age.

“We close down throughout August because a lot of people look after their grandchildren during the school holidays.”

The club meets from 10.30am to 3pm on a Monday and the art club meets on a Thursday from 1pm to 4pm.