Lunch club is looking for new diners

They suspect that because the club operates in the premises of Batley Salvation Army people at large might think they have to be on benefits before they can join in.

“But that’s definitely not the case,” said head cook Jill Gardiner, from Morley, who has worked at the lunch club, at the junction of Bradford Road and Stocks Lane, for the past five years.

“We are here to help people who might be feeling lonely or who have might difficulty in making meals on their own” she said.

“We want to make sure that people can eat well and enjoy companionship.

“We serve coffee and tea during the early morning and follow that up with full scale meals from 11.45am”

The meal consists of a main meat or fish dish with a variety of vegetables followed by a sweet and a cup of coffee or tea.

The cost is £4.

Jill, who is responsible for all the delicious baking, says she and her volunteer staff have the capacity to cope with up to 60 diners every day and they are puzzled as to why these numbers are not being met.

“We feel that many people who might like our meals believe they have to be old, disabled or on benefits before they can come and that is just not the case.”

“But we think we could do much better if people only realised we are open to all including those with problems.

“We can be a shoulder for them,” said Jill.