Bristol community lunch club brings different age groups together to tackle loneliness

A community lunch club is bringing together older people in Bristol to combat loneliness and isolation.   

The club meets once a week at the Holy Trinity Church Hall in Kingswood and is run by home care provider, Right At Home.    

As well as their clients, the club, which has been running since January, is open to members of the public and also welcomes primary school children.   

On a recent morning at the club, a group of elderly women were chatting around a table before taking part in a quiz.       

Elaine, a participant, said: “The people are welcoming, friendly, warm, kind, generous and you can be yourself.  

“I have ADHD so for me it’s very important as I find it hard to fit in. I can’t believe it’s free! 

“If this group wasn’t here, that would be like losing my friend and family, it would be a big gap in life.” 

Elizabeth, another one of the participants, added: “My husband passed away in August and this was a lifeline, it gets you out.”   

As well as socialising, the group take part in activities such as art, bingo and singing, and are served hot meals. 

Bernadette Tsangari, Right at Home’s community coordinator, explained: “After Covid hit we realised that a lot of our clients were reluctant to leave their houses again, so our director decided that he wanted to do something to help combat loneliness and isolation in older people.

“He came up with the idea of Lunch Club but decided it would be of greater benefit to invite members of the public to attend alongside our clients. 

“We have also made a connection with the local primary school who now attend throughout the school year as the interaction with the younger generation is something that most of our guests lacked before.”

The Community Lunch Club runs at Holy Trinity Church Hall on the High Street in Kingswood every Friday, from 11am to 2pm. To get involved, email [email protected]