Plea for more members to keep luncheon group going (From Gazette Series)

Plea for more members to keep luncheon group in Dursley going

9:10am Saturday 19th January 2013 in News By Daniel Chipperfield

A VOLUNTEER group providing a valuable service to the Dursley community for almost 30 years is facing closure if it cannot get more members.

The Friday Luncheon Group provides the opportunity for the elderly and socially isolated to have a place to meet others and share a meal with.

While the group used to supply meals to around 50 to 60 residents, this has dwindled in recent years to sometimes seeing under 20 people coming through the door each week.

Secretary of the committee running the group from Dursley Community Centre, Pauline Darby, believes there are still many people who could benefit from the service.

"It gives people the chance to chat to each other over a meal, which would not be possible to a lot of older people otherwise," she said.

"At home you can make your food and then eat it on your own and that’s it.

"Being able to come here and talk to each other and share food together, I think that is the most important thing. If you belong to a group you support each other."

As well as lunch, the self-funded group provides a minibus service to and from the centre as well as holding trips from time to time.

In addition, the group requires more volunteers to help out on the day and if extra people are not found the organisation could be in trouble.

"If things were not to change then I would suspect that come Easter we would probably have to close," said Ms Darby, who has been part of the group for more than 20 years.

"I don’t know really, but there’s a question mark over it all. We can carry on for a little while but we are running at a loss because you can only charge so much to members."

The Friday Luncheon Group are holding an open day on Friday, January 25 at Dursley Community Centre on Rednock Drive. For more information call Pauline Darby on 01453 543255.