Dartmouth Caring, the charity that looks out for vulnerable and elderly adults in the Dartmouth Community, celebrated the end of the year with its annual Christmas Lunch Club at Dartmouth Guildhall on Wednesday December 15.
Dartmouth Caring, the charity that looks out for vulnerable and elderly adults in the Dartmouth Community, celebrated the end of the year with its annual Christmas Lunch Club at Dartmouth Guildhall on Wednesday December 15.
The event saw Lunch Club members mix with Dartmouth Mayor and Mayoress Richard and Wendy Rendle, police community sergeant Iain Simons and a host of other VIPs for a slap-up Christmas Lunch.
The lunch is the annual hoopla for the social club, which has grown from small beginnings to use the majority of the Guildhall Ballroom each Wednesday. The subsidised lunch is a much - loved and vital social link for the elderly members of the community.
The event saw prayers led by Mrs Rendle, who is the secretary of the PCC in Dartmouth, and before she made thanks for the food and wonderful sense of community she paid tribute to the former Vicar Simon Wright, who retired in April. She also remembered the Lunch Club members who have been lost throughout the year – adding an extra poignancy to the end of year celebrations.
More than 70 sat down for a lovely 3 course Christmas lunch, and as well as a special Christmas raffle, also saw the winner announced for this year’s Dartmouth Caring Membership Prize Draw, which has a twice annual cash prize. On this occasion the prize of �920 was won by Mr and Mrs McNamara. When they were notified of their win, they were shocked and initially speechless and said ’it couldn’t have come at a better time’.
The Mayor also generously provided a gift of a free Dartmouth Caring Membership for 2011, the draw for this will take place on Wednesday 12 January at Lunch Club, who knows this person could be the winner of the next prize draw!
Dartmouth Caring Manager and Coordinator Alison Stocks said: ‘we are delighted by how many members we have now, all contributing in a real way to our continued success supporting the elderly and vulnerable around Dartmouth. We have so much to do, and can only continue to do so with the support of our community, both with donations and with volunteering. The membership is open to anyone and provides the charity with funds from half the annual �20 joining fee as whilst the other half is designated for the 2 prize draws. Members also receive our newsletters and invitations to various events’
Dartmouth Caring chairman Dee Nutt said: ‘We had a wonderful day, and the draw is always very exciting. The Christmas Lunch is so important to all our Lunch Club members and to have so many there shows how well supported we are in the local community. We have seen so many great successes this year – we look forward to more in 2011.’
