EATING TOGETHER TO BUILD COMMUNITY
with WESTDENE COMMUNITY LUNCH
Westdene Community Lunch volunteers prepare and serve meals that you can eat in good company.
Did you know that Withdean Ward contains some of the highest levels of lone pensioner households in Brighton & Hove? We would like to address issues of loneliness and isolation amongst older people in our community by creating opportunities for them to feel more a part of it.
To receive a meal or to volunteer, please contact Charlotte Hastings@ntlworld.com | 07792 752632
Did you know that Withdean Ward contains some of the highest levels of lone pensioner households in Brighton & Hove? We would like to address issues of loneliness and isolation amongst older people in our community by creating opportunities for them to feel more a part of it.
To receive a meal or to volunteer, please contact Charlotte Hastings@ntlworld.com | 07792 752632
October 2020 update
On a beautiful Monday morning, we had some sunny news to report!
Sussex Community Foundation have awarded our Ascension Lunch Club and our Get Together to Eat Together feast, the funds we applied for - this means we now have the equipment to deliver hot meals to our much loved and missed diners throughout the winter months, keeping these valued lunch clubs going whilst we are unable to all come together. We all know that the social event is as much a part of our lunch as the food itself, but this way, we get to keep in touch and stay in the game. We are also thrilled to be in partnership with the marvellous Ascension team, as this inspires greater community connection, and strengthens us all. We are really looking forward to seeing you on 27th October, when we will bring a cold quiche and salad lunch round, then into November and our special Christmas meal will be delivered hot and ready to your door!!! Delicious!
On a beautiful Monday morning, we had some sunny news to report!
Sussex Community Foundation have awarded our Ascension Lunch Club and our Get Together to Eat Together feast, the funds we applied for - this means we now have the equipment to deliver hot meals to our much loved and missed diners throughout the winter months, keeping these valued lunch clubs going whilst we are unable to all come together. We all know that the social event is as much a part of our lunch as the food itself, but this way, we get to keep in touch and stay in the game. We are also thrilled to be in partnership with the marvellous Ascension team, as this inspires greater community connection, and strengthens us all. We are really looking forward to seeing you on 27th October, when we will bring a cold quiche and salad lunch round, then into November and our special Christmas meal will be delivered hot and ready to your door!!! Delicious!
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September 2020 News
Finally we are (almost) back in action. Having teamed up with Ascension Lunch Club, we helped deliver 50 diners a tea to enjoy from the two lunch club teams. As many of our diners are already in ‘bubbles’ we were able to arrange for them to get together, maintaining distancing of course, to enjoy eating this small repast together. Many were really sad not to continue being part of the whole group and talked longingly of our leisurely, happy lunch parties! It feels particularly good to be part of the Ascension’s long established lunch club (they have a rather marvellous kitchen we have had our eyes on!!). Most importantly, the community link strengthens us and reinforces our capacity to reach out to members of our community who can so easily get cut off. Taking a meal round, if only once a month, is a way of keeping in touch, the lines of communication always move easily with food on them! Have a look at our Westdene Community Lunch Facebook Page for the latest updates |
Sharing a meal together can be one of life's greatest, and simplest of pleasures. There's a special feeling of unity when we eat in a group – like the variety of animals at a waterhole, taking part in the same necessity for life. Old or young, whatever the status or profession, we all share the need to eat and the satisfaction of enjoying a meal. Alongside others, sustenance is something we can all appreciate.
Thank you to Sussex Community Foundation, Therapy Kitchen & Real Junk Food Project Brighton for their support
Please see a report about our first year by clicking here and have a look at our Facebook Page for the latest updates
Thank you to Sussex Community Foundation, Therapy Kitchen & Real Junk Food Project Brighton for their support
Please see a report about our first year by clicking here and have a look at our Facebook Page for the latest updates
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Introducing Community Cooking Steering Group member Charlotte Hastings
I have been a keen member of the barn gang since its beginnings, priding myself on introducing Dave Burton to the team which has proved serendipitous! And have very much enjoyed coordinating the Get Together to Eat Together 3rd Tuesday of the month lunch club. So I have always felt myself to be part of the team, as being part of my community is an essential part of life for me. As a therapist and a cooking teacher, I am always looking for opportunities to bring people together and enhance well being through sharing good food with one another, building a sense of delicious community! I very much enjoyed supporting Brighton Cauldron to run their BAME food bank from The Barn as we could not open for business as usual during lock down. Feeling that we could still serve our community needs in this way was really important for us. Now we are opening our doors for safe activities, the food bank has moved to Ascension Church who are not able to reopen currently, so have the space available. Olive from the church lunch club and I have just had a lovely morning working out ways of working together to keep the idea of community connection active by joining forces to send a small repast to the door of all our diners - where there’s a will (and with food there ALWAYS is!) there’s a way. More news in September! Read my reflection here |
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