Leiston Day Club has been running for nearly 20 years, serving lunches for older people on Mondays and alternate Fridays at the Community Centre in Leiston.

Kerry Burn, our community reporter went along to meet the volunteers and members of the club.

I arrived at the Community Centre just before 12pm to find volunteers Ann and Sandra busy in the kitchen preparing meals for around 30 people. On today’s menu were pork steaks with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes and a variety of fresh vegetables followed by desserts of orange flan or jelly and oranges for people with diabetes. Looks like everyone had been busy peeling potatoes and slicing carrots! It was a member’s birthday today so they had brought along a bottle of Sherry and everyone had been served with a glass before lunch.

Ann introduced me to Joe, the Secretary of the Club, who told me all about the club’s outings. ‘The club goes out for a Christmas lunch at the beginning of December and then another outing is arranged in the summer” Joe said.

I was also introduced to John the club treasurer. John also drives the minibus that picks up members in and around Leiston and brings then to the club each week. John told me “Each member pays £2.65 for their meal and 10p from this goes towards the annual Christmas party.”

I then took the opportunity to chat to a few members including Joyce who had been involved with the club from its start back in the 1980’s. “It had all started as a social club run for the disabled by Social Services” Joyce said “But someone suggested having some light refreshments and this then grew into a regular lunch club run by volunteers.”

Back in the kitchen the rest of the volunteers had arrived. Karen, Doreen and Shirley help to serve the meals. It was a very efficient operation, ensuring that 30+ dinners were served in record quick time. Although I did decline an offer of lunch I couldn’t resist the offer of a piece of orange flan and fresh cream, and very nice it was too!

After lunch there was a draw for the members. Today’s draw was the big monthly draw and consisted of lots of nice prizes all provided by the members’ themselves. While the draw took place the real work got underway in the kitchen, with Shirley as Chief Washer and the rest of us armed with tea towels. In no time the kitchen was spotless.

The club ends with a game of bingo before everyone makes their way home, having caught up with all their friends over a relaxing meal. The club has a real friendly atmosphere and any elderly or mature person in and around Leiston who’d like further details about joining can contact the Club Secretary Joe Diegnan on 01728 831477.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers and all the members of the Leiston Day Club for welcoming me and giving me an insight into their club. I had a very enjoyable lunchtime and hope to visit them again in the future.

We want to hear from other clubs like this in Suffolk so if you are involved with a club which you would like us to feature on onesuffolk, contact kerry.burn@onesuffolk.co.uk or telephone 01473 583891 We’d love to hear from you.