There’s a buzz of excitement in the hall of St Saviour’s in Brockenhurst each Wednesday as volunteers serve up a two-course meal for people in the village who are elderly, alone and looking for friendship.
The first lunch was cooked on 20th January 1988 and since then a staggering 45,000 meals have been produced. Apart from during Covid, volunteers have only missed two Wednesdays because of adverse weather.
Lesley Munt was one of the founding volunteers of Wednesday Lunches and is the co-ordinator of the team. She said, “My daughter was two years old when I started and she’s now in her 40s with two children of her own. We don’t work in school holidays because when we all started, we had young children at school, so we needed to be around. Now we’ve got grandchildren so still need to be around!
“I think the lunches are important to the elderly people because it’s possibly the only time they get out in the week to meet other people and to enjoy a meal together. I think as far as the teams are concerned, they get as much out of it as the guests, because some of us don’t see each other from one month to the next, so it’s a nice social event for the helpers as much as the people who come along.”
The first lunch welcomed around 12 guests, now there are regularly 30 to 40 who pay £5 each week for a hot meal and a pudding. Four teams of around seven or eight people cook once a month and there’s another team of volunteer drivers. Each week, six cars transport guests to and from the lunches.
Fiona Jeffery has been a volunteer driver for around 25 years. She commented, “When you can’t get out, your life can be limited and even getting to an appointment is impossible unless somebody can drive. This is such a lovely sociable event, and I like talking to the people on the way. They’re always looking forward to seeing their friends and having a lovely home-cooked meal.
“I’m not a member of the church but as a member of Brockenhurst, I can see what a valuable role the church has. It makes Brockenhurst a community. Brockenhurst is the size where you don’t know everybody, but you know a fair few people and the church brings different groups together. I meet people here that I wouldn’t normally meet so I feel that we live in a lovely community and the church is a big part of that.”
Though Wednesday Lunches, close friendships have been formed. Birthdays are remembered with cards and a song. One of the guests described it as the highlight of her week.
John, who is 90 years old, has been coming for around five years. He said, “It’s somewhere to come, to have a chat to these lovely people and to meet the community.”
Julie, another attendee of the Wednesday Lunches, added, “It’s more than just the food. I lost my husband two years ago and I am a bit lonely. I come for the company and we have a laugh. You get brought here and taken home and they’re all volunteers.”
Cyril joined Wednesday Lunches just over a year ago. He said, “It’s the one meal a week I don’t have to make myself. It’s an excellent event and such a friendly group of people. We are very lucky that there are so many people in Brockenhurst who are willing to give their time to help us older people. For me, a 93-year-old widower, with very limited culinary skills, it is a very welcome weekly event!”
Lunch menus are carefully planned months in advance and those who cook hold a food hygiene certificate. Each team buys the food, cooks, serves and clears up at the end. The meals, such as casseroles, cottage pie, and chicken tray bake, are prepared in the church’s kitchen which was purposely refitted ten years ago.
Wednesday Lunches also includes a film and communion service once a term for those who want to stay. The event is part of ‘Brockcare’, which brings together all the activities that the church organises to help others, including pastoral visits, tea afternoons, bereavement services and ‘holiday at home’ for older people each autumn.
Ros Dennison is on the committee of Brockcare and a pastoral visitor. She said, “We represent the hand of God and provide pastoral care across the village. That’s why people say this village is special. I know every one of the people here today and I know all their backgrounds and that’s why it’s effective because we are a unit. We have a high percentage of people over 60 living in this village, but we’re not concerned whether they come to church or not, we just have this care.”
During Covid, checks were made on all the guests and when possible, small social distanced tea parties were organised.
In 2015 Lesley Munt was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s honours in recognition of her involvement in Wednesday Lunches. She dedicated it to the many volunteers who have given up their time over the years, thought to now number around 300.
Lesley said, “Wednesday Lunches is very much valued by the village. Some people have the idea that it’s just for church people but it’s for anybody. Quite a lot of our helpers are not involved with the church in any way but see it as part of their giving to the village. I think it’s important for the church to be seen out in the community. It’s the church showing our love to the community really.”
