Comradeship and a cuppa

Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, in the lower hall of the Station Road centre, coffee and tea is served alongside a host of activities from dance to indoor bowls as part of its ‘Allsorts’ Social and Recreational Club.

The centre welcomes adults who spend a lot of their days at home and has members aged from 19-90.

The civic centre was taken over by Luddenden Foot Community Association in 2013 in an asset transfer.

Luddenden Foot Community Association secretary Heather Hartwell says the centre always welcomes new faces and invites anyone to pop along for a cuppa and a natter and to take part in crafts, flower arranging, history talks, bread making, kurling and more.

She said: “Our centre welcomes all ages - it’s important for all ages to mix together to learn from one another. We want people to come and use the centre as it’s for the whole community. Luddenden Foot Civic Centre is the last community building here in the village - if the village is to retain some heart and soul it’s got to start here. We want people to bring life to the building and life to local people who might otherwise be at risk of being isolated.”

Allsorts Social and Recreational Club member Bob Barrow, 73, said: “I come here because its’ a friendly place - there’s a generally good community atmosphere and sense of comradeship that we get from each other.

“The luncheons give people who might be living on their own a chance to eat something proper over a bit of conversation.”

On the first and third Friday of the month the centre holds a luncheon club, from 12-2pm, and costs £2.50 for a three course meal with coffee or tea. Diners enjoy hearty homemade food including fish pie, stew, casserole, apple crumble and other much-loved traditional dinners madeby Heather.

To find out more call Heather on 01422 885542.