Thursday Lunch Group

Every Thursday from 12 - 2 p.m.

This Group for people in the local community with mental health issues has met every Thursday for the past four years. The idea is to provide relatively simple food and encourage participation by group members. We expect participants to lay the tables, serve themselves, clear away and wash up afterwards. All we do is supply the food - and stimulating conversation.

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Thursday November13 2008: a feast of dumplings and stew provided by Pam and Simon Brook, followed by a sumptuous chocolater cake for Sarah Ford's birthday (not pictured).

Agnes (left) pictured with daughter Audrey and volunteers Yoshei and Denise cooked for a whole year (i.e. at weekly intervals) from the summer of 2006 until the summer of 2007 when she left with her husband and daughter for Singapore.

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Birthday cake by Agnes for Michael (Doctor) Watson (below left) Centre: birthday carrot cake for Anne by Agnes. Right: birthday cake for JQ also by Agnes

We used to have a menu consisting of freshly prepared soup or jacket potatoes with beans, tuna and salad or quiche lorraine with salad (but no beans). Memorable puddings included Diane Hicks's jam roly poly and her piece de resistance , spotted dick. When Agnes joined us in September 2006 we enjoyed a mouthwatering variety of pies, soups and desserts and celebrated birthdays with very special cakes.

In the four years that the group has been together, it has grown to about 15 members, most of whom attend three out of every four weeks. We also have up to 8 volunteers/staff so attendance is usually between 15 and 20.

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Left: Michael Beckett with regulars Adrian, Nigel, David, Richard and David; Centre: volunteers Denise and Anne with Nigel. Right: Anne and Jim

A few months ago, we conducted a poll to find out what members like about the group and why they keep coming back. Top of the list was the food but other reasons were mentioned as well, including the lively conversation and the trips. So far we've had trips to Walsingham, Southend, Anglesey Abbey, Peterborough, Ely Cathedral (aka Wimpole Hall), Wells-next-the-Sea, Burghley House, Norwich, Wimpole Hall and the Transport Museum in Covent Garde. In the first week of December 2008, we are going to Lincoln to see the cathedral and the grand Christmas Fair. See the articles elsewhere on this website for copious details of these unique expeditions.

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Having lunch together and going on trips enables people who are isolated in their everyday lives to interact and have a sense of belonging while tucking in to some excellent grub. "Lunch today was magnificent," Suzanne , one of our regular members, said on one occasion. That's what we like to hear.

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Michael Beckett (left) with Bill in the kitchen