A NEW-look weekly lunch club is now serving up tasty food to dozens of residents in a dale village.
Startforth lunch club, which now comes under the umbrella of the Association of Teesdale Day Clubs, was relaunched last month after a two-year hiatus.
The club was originally started in 2017 by a group of volunteers at the village’s community centre.
When Covid struck, the club – like all others – was forced to close and during the pandemic, organiser Debbie Herbert started a business in Barnard Castle, which meant she was unable to restart the club when restrictions eased.
To ensure the club reopened, Teesdale Day Clubs stepped in and a new leader and cook were recruited. Some 30 members are now tucking into the weekly three-course meals, which are served up on a Wednesday lunchtime.
Club leader Kim Weston said: “I think it’s gone marvellously well. It’s been very well received.
“I think the members have enjoyed getting out and back to some sort of normality. They are a cheerful, sociable bunch.”
In addition to Ms Weston and cook Naila Laundy, there is a team of 11 volunteers on hand to help out at each lunch.
Resident Colin Clarke said it was “definitely good to be back” .
He added: “The majority of people who come also went to the old club and there are a few new faces as well.”
Other members said that with few amenities in the village, the club offered the chance to catch up people they would otherwise not see.
Startforth is now one of nine lunch clubs operated by the Association of Teesdale Day Clubs, covering Barnard Castle and ten villages.
For more details about the lunch clubs, go to www.teesdaledayclubs.org.uk or call 01833 695822.
