Dore and Totley United Reformed Church, Totley Brook Road, S17 3QS

Dore & Totley Lunch Club

50th Anniversary Celebration

A short, informal service of thanksgiving to celebrate 50 years of our lunch club will be held at the United Reformed Church on Thursday 18th July at 2.30 pm.  This will be followed by tea, coffee and cakes.

We are giving this advance notice hoping that all volunteers, ex volunteers and anyone with a connection to this club can join us. Please pass the word around.

The original idea for the lunch club came from Vivien Fillieul, All Saints Church Totley,  after she had visited a lonely, isolated lady.  Following that, a public meeting was held on 22nd November 1973 at the URC, arranged by Rev’d Duncan Wilson.  This was to see if a club was a viable proposition for the housebound of the area, as the need had become very obvious.  The meeting was addressed by a member of Family and Community Services who supported us throughout, and we also had support from the local Council of Churches.

Enough volunteers came forward (male and female) to make this possible and the club opened on Tuesday 8th January 1974 with approximately six visitors, which was slowly built up to sixteen.

After 50 years we still meet every Tuesday at the United Reformed Church on Totley Brook Road.  We provide a hot two-course meal cooked on our premises,but, most important of all, companionship.

We have chairobics, two meals out during the year plus a Christmas meal at the club, occasional sing-songs and reminiscing.  On occasions during the year the Teapot Choir sing to us as they rehearse in the church on Tuesday mornings.

We are fortunate to still have Vivien’s involvement and we much appreciated  her husband Ken who was our Treasurer for many years until he passed away recently.  We will miss you so much, Ken.  The continued running of the club has to be thanks to the loyal support of so many volunteers over all these years.  Also, our club could not survive without Transport 17 mini-buses which are manned by wonderful caring volunteers.