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The Impact of Lunch Clubs for
Older People in Sheffield
‘It’s the company isn’t it?’
Lauren White
Social Researcher
Voluntary Sector Liaison Team
Sheffield City Council
[email protected]
April 2016
___________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that in today’s society, we have an increasing ageing population; a
population that is at risk of ill health, social isolation and loneliness. Lunch clubs can be a
way of integrating older people into the community, offering support and holistically
enhancing their everyday life. This qualitative research explores the impact of lunch clubs for
individuals in Sheffield. Ten lunch clubs were visited across Sheffield that receives funding
from Sheffield City Council. Lunch club members were interviewed about their experiences
of attending the lunch club. It was apparent that for many, lunch club was a crucial element
of their everyday life and socialisation. Lunch clubs offered social support, activities, and
benefits to health and wellbeing. It also acknowledged the barriers that still remain, and
recommendations for the futures of lunch clubs.
Background to the Research
Lunch clubs are independent self-help groups, run by a variety of volunteers and older
people, which provide a two course cooked meal, company and activities. Lunch clubs are
an incredibly vital service for the local communities in Sheffield, providing an opportunity for
older people to meet others, enjoy a cooked meal, be active and remain independent. For
many older people, attending a lunch club is the primary source of social interaction in the
week, and contributes to the maintenance of their health and wellbeing.
In 2014-2015, Sheffield City Council funded 60 lunch clubs, attended by approximately 1,788
older people aged 65+. In this time, 2,804 lunch club sessions were held with 63,305 meals
served throughout the year. 63% of members were over 80 years of age. 490 (27%) of
members were men, whilst 1,298 (73%) were women. Members pay on average £3.50 for a
meal and on average £2.00 for transport, if necessary. Lunch clubs use transport services
such as Transport 17, Sheffield Community Transport and a variety of smaller services and
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taxi firms. Many lunch clubs offer a variety of activities, with the most common being bingo,
raffles, games, and exercises, but often more unique activities such as informative talks,
poetry and literature, reminiscence, and arts and crafts. Current information is being collated
for 2015-16 from 4th quarter monitoring forms and will be available in May 2016.
Sheffield City Council’s Corporate Plan for 2015-2018 sets out to improve health and
wellbeing, tackling inequalities and supporting thriving neighbourhoods and communities,
something of which lunch clubs are part. Lunch clubs work to improve greater levels of
wellbeing, access to services, and to reduce loneliness and isolation. Structurally, lunch
clubs also work with communities and aim to strengthen the cohesion and barriers that face
communities in Sheffield.
The 2011 Census reported that there are approximately 85,698 people aged 65 and over
living in Sheffield (15.5% of the population). Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS) provides
support to lunch clubs, with one to one and group support by various communication forms
to enable a smooth running of the clubs, for both the volunteers and the members. VAS also
works to facilitate the process of allocating individuals to an appropriate lunch club. In July to
September 2015, over a 100 enquiries were made into lunch clubs in Sheffield, with over
three quarters of these referrals having successful placements.
One of the primary aims of lunch clubs in local communities is tackling social isolation that
often accompanies old age, frailty and bereavement. According to the English Longitudinal
Study of Ageing (ELSA) social isolation is ‘the absence of contact with other people’ where
loneliness is seen to be ‘a subjective perception in which a person feels lonely’. The Office
for National Statistics (2013) reported that across the present older population, 9% state
feeling lonely often. Moreover, the Campaign to End Loneliness suggests that loneliness and
social isolation have a similar impact on mortality to factors such as smoking, is worse than
obesity and is linked to many chronic health conditions. It is crucial that society must take
appropriate steps to tackle loneliness, and lunch clubs are one way to prevent social
isolation.
Many of the lunch club organisers often express their views of the benefits to the members
and the community. Most importantly, the social involvement and integration that the lunch
club offers, alongside more practical aspects such as a home cooked healthy meal and
activities. As one lunch club organiser stated:
“Attending our club may be one of the rare occasions the diners leave their homes
and can socialise. They are, in the main, fiercely independent individuals who cope
well with their various health problems.”
Most organisers stressed that for many of the members; it can be the only time that they
leave their homes to meet others, socialise and make friends. For many of the older
members, they are often bereaved and/or single, with health conditions and mobility issues.
Transport is vital to getting them to the club and assisting in the social engagement. Further
to this, the organisers stressed that it is the only time many of them get a substantial two
course home cooked meal in the week, equally important to the social side of the lunch club
in their health and wellbeing. Moreover, lunch clubs provide an involvement for both the
volunteers and the members in their local community, to make friends, but to also actively
participate in a safe space. One of the lunch club organisers stated:
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“We are able to bring members ‘out of themselves’ and move on from difficult
circumstances.”
Whilst these insights are useful to understanding the experiences of those who engage in
lunch clubs, much of the research to date has focused on the lunch club organisers and
volunteers’ perspectives. As such, this research explicitly explores the feelings, thoughts and
experiences of the lunch club members who attend Sheffield lunch clubs, and gives voice to
the importance of their stories.
Aims of the Research
The aims of this research are the following:




To explore the impact of lunch clubs on individual’s lives;
To investigate the most important features and benefits of the lunch clubs to the
members;
To engage with how lunch clubs could be improved from the lunch club members’
perspective,
To offer recommendations to improve both the practices and organisation of the club,
but consequently the experiences of those who attend.
Method
The research adopted a qualitative approach, with a focus on the thoughts, feelings and
experiences of the members of those who attended lunch clubs in Sheffield. Lunch clubs
were selected from those who received a grant through Sheffield City Council. Lunch club
organisers were contacted and informed of the project aims and outputs of the research. Ten
lunch club visits were organised across Sheffield and visits were conducted from March to
April 2016. Lunch club members were approached and informed about the project before
discussions took place. The researcher took some recordings and made notes into the
observations of the lunch clubs, the thoughts, stories and experiences that the members
voiced.
It must be noted that not every lunch club member could be approached, and often
discussions were collectively as a group (such as the lunch club table), which has some
implications for capturing the full diversity of experiences and the dynamic of what was and
wasn’t said in the presence of others. Discussions were also negotiated through the general
organisation and planning of the lunch club itself, and in some occasions, the researcher
joined in the activity and the lunch whilst talking to the members. For further research, it
would be beneficial to conduct observations and participation in the lunch club, alongside
group and individual interviews to fully capture the thoughts, feelings and experiences of
those who are part of the clubs.
Findings
“It’s the company, isn’t it?”
Like much of the research to date, lunch clubs are crucial to members in their social
involvement and prevention of isolation. One cannot quantify the times ‘company’ was said
by lunch club members, or indeed the weighting of the word itself. Many members
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“I look forward to
expressed that it was the only time that they left the house in the
Thursdays; it’s the
week, and the only thing they actively engaged in. Many watch
only day I get out.”
the television, or simply listen to it as background noise, with the
noise acting as another voice in their lonely environment. Lunch
clubs provide conversation and laughter. Many of the members are able to reach out to
others after bereavement, talking to other men and women who have lost a loved one, or
those who live alone. One of the members said:
“When you get to 90 odd, you lose a lot of friends, they pass.”
Family and friends were important in considering the companionship that many of the older
lunch club members had. Many of the lunch club members told of their families and
relationships, their husband, wife,
children, grandchildren, even great
grandchildren. They told me that many
“There are a thousand people
visited at the weekend, and often
around…and here you are,
accompanied them on their errands or
alone.”
helped in the home, and they felt grateful
and ‘lucky’ for familial support. Yet, for
“It’s at night time, that’s when you
many, they felt the importance of families’
feel it.”
commitments to work, and other
responsibilities limited their time with the
older members of their families.
However, one could argue that another family was made; the lunch club family. Many of the
members described their friends at the lunch club as ‘like sisters, a family’. Many of them
kiss each other on the cheek as they arrive, hugging and occasionally bringing gifts, cards
and sweets. I, as a researcher, certainly felt that too, with many of the lunch clubs insisting I
ate dinner with them, involving me in the laughter, the companionship, and their community.
Community Engagement and the Wider Picture
Similar to the companionship that lunch clubs offer to its members, is the belonging to a
group and its community. Many of the lunch clubs are held in community centres and church
halls, to which members can become integrated in not
only the lunch club, but also activities such as church
“You belong
services, fundraising events, charity bake sales and
somewhere.”
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events for children. The lunch clubs often celebrate birthdays, Christmas and Easter
together, with presents and wine and cards, evident in one of the lunch clubs, who proudly
displayed photographs of the members at Christmas time in the community hall. As
previously discussed, many members are isolated due to bereavement or absence of familial
support, but for some members who have recently moved to Sheffield to be close to family
members and as a consequence, need other resources to integrate into the community.
Those who moved to Sheffield and became involved in lunch clubs, felt that they belonged
somewhere in their new home. Moreover, often lunch club members are neighbours and
come together, or pass on the experiences to those who live nearby, to enjoy the lunch
clubs. Several of the members stated that everyone at their
club was their friend, and ensured that ‘no one was left out’.
“I ring her up every
Nothing spoke of the belonging more than the name tags at
the places of one of the lunch club tables, and the allocated
day now.”
seats of members and their friends.
Whilst the focus of the research was on the happenings of the lunch club, it was apparent
that the impact went beyond this. Lunch clubs provide a pedestal for further involvement in
the community and social engagement. Many of the friendships formed through the clubs do
not finish at 2pm when they exit the community bus; many swap telephone numbers, go to
other events and activities, with two ladies stating that they even visit the hairdressers
together. One club had set up a ‘pen pal’ interaction with children of a local school. Several
of the groups had day trips, but also lunch club members organised trips and holidays in
their own groups, as one lady explained to me;
“I met this lady, and now we’re off on holiday together, we’re going to Great
Yarmouth.”
As well as the opportunities for community engagement beyond the lunch club, several of
the lunch clubs were a source of learning and information resources. Some of the members
brought the information and knowledge they had to the other members, but often the
organisers had ‘talks’ or advice sessions, such as
energy and will advice. For the lunch club in a BME
area, it became a place of knowledge, of language
“It keeps me up to date
with what’s going on.”
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learning and information sharing. In some of the clubs, there was an opportunity to become
familiar with technology, and a few of the members had a mobile that they used, or a tablet
to play games, and show photos of their loved ones. Several of the lunch clubs had a
programme of events that they distribute for the term to the members, giving them a focus
on what was next, and what activities they could get involved in and look forward to.
Activities
In the day to day life, many of the lunch club members expressed the mundane activities of
being at home, often only in the presence of the television. As one gentleman said:
“At home, I just watch television. I get up in the morning at half past nine, and watch it
through to ten o clock at night. That happens seven days a week.”
Of course, there is one day a week, where this monotonous routine is interrupted. Lunch
clubs offer the company, the food but also something to do. There are the activities that are
widely distributed, such as bingo, games and exercise. Many appear happy and grateful with
a game of bingo, a chat and a cup of tea. Something important to consider, however, is the
recognition of doing something new,
having the confidence to try it, but also the
resources to do so.
Yet for some lunch clubs, they go beyond
bingo. One club gave head and shoulder
massages to the members. There were
opportunities for book selling, donation and
reading. There were a diversity of games,
singers, music and even an ‘antiques
roadshow’ where members bring valuables
and have them priced up.
Some of the most evidently valuable
activities to the members were singing old songs, telling stories and reminiscence. As well
as talking about the impact of the lunch club for members, the researcher also sat and
listened to the stories of their lives. One gentleman in particular, had written a memoir for his
family, which he had printed into a book which he brought along to the club. One moment of
reminiscence was at the lunch table itself, as one lady stated whilst we ate rice pudding:
“It takes me back to the school days. We used to put jam in it and stir it around until it
was pink!”
The group all laughed and agreed, and proceeded to talk about their school life and growing
up. Stories act as a building of commonality, when members learn about each other,
whether it be something unique or something that they share. Moreover, storytelling exposes
the experiences and value of each of the lunch club members, and their appreciation and
respect for each other’s existence. Similarly, other activities further contribute to this
“I’ve learnt games that
I’ve never heard of.”
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appreciation of one another, whether it be learning a new game from a new member, or
teaming up to be ‘The Golden Girls’ in the music quiz.
Despite this, there are still gaps. Some of the clubs spoke of day trips, which were reliant on
funding, so were few and far between. Several of the lunch clubs were at the receiving end
of the Activity Sheffield cuts, where exercises had been provided to groups in Sheffield, such
as chairobics. One couple had their first day at the lunch club, as an alternative to the fitness
class that they attended, as it had been closed due to the cuts. One lady expressed her
concern at this:
“I hope the lunch club isn’t cut. I haven’t got anything else and I don’t know what I’d do.”
There were other barriers for lunch club members in the limitations of the activities. One
gentleman stated that he’d ‘like a Guinness or two’ and one couple expressed that they
would like activities in the evening as well as at lunch time, but transportation was the main
issue. Some did suggest activities that were not at the lunch clubs, but often could not go
beyond feeling grateful for what was already
there.
Health and wellbeing
“You live life to the full. Old age
comes quickly and you don’t
always like what comes with it”
Lunch clubs play a key role in the health and
wellbeing of the members, beyond a hot cooked meal. For members, becoming older
changes the structure of their life, from retirement, health problems and bereavement. As
one of the gentlemen stated:
“When you’ve run a business, had a wife for 60 years, and then it all goes, you need
something.”
One of the ways of filling this gap is the role of family members and health professionals to
recommend to resources such as lunch clubs. Many of the members of the lunch clubs
found themselves there through referrals from general
practitioners and health care professionals, whether it be a fall,
a stroke or any other ill health that can limit activity in their life.
“You feel good,
One lady told me how she had a stroke and the social worker
because you’ve
supporting her at the time, recommended she attend a lunch
laughed.”
club. The social worker took her along and stayed with her for
the first visit, ensuring she was settled and integrated into the new social
environment.
Many of the lunch clubs involved physical exercise such as chairobics,
essential for health and wellbeing. One lady told me her experience of
having an eight week physiotherapy course that was really beneficial to
her, and that she would like something similar at her lunch club. As
mentioned previously, many spoke of the dismay of the cuts of Activity
Sheffield, as one member said:
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“I believe they’ve lost the lady who used to be the keep fit lady. I think the council
stopped it. I don’t know what they’re going to do now.”
Moreover, many of the members spoke of the mental benefits that attending a lunch club
brought them. For most, they simply said that it ‘keeps you going’. Several of the members
highlighted the preventative measures that the lunch club brought them, being with people of
the same age, who aren’t discriminating against age
or their ability, as many joked. Even more significant,
two members who were neighbours stated that
“You feel better when you’ve
attending a lunch club was even a preventative
been. It boosts you and keeps
measure for independent living, and avoiding going
you going.”
into a residential home.
Of course, a home cooked meal must not be underestimated. At home, a large majority of
the lunch club members would have microwave meals, or simple meals such as sandwiches,
and a well-balanced, fresh and warm lunch is something of a treat. Some members stated
how they were lucky to have family members who occasionally cooked for them, or took
them out on a weekend for a lunch. Yet, living alone brings limitations in cooking too. As one
said:
“I tell you what I like about the lunch club – a casserole. It’s not something that you would
cook for yourself.”
The meals, the laughter, the activities are something of coming together, something shared;
a support and a community.
All in it together
Although this research aimed at reaching out to the lunch club members, it was often a
challenge to distinguish those who volunteered, and those who were members. The
boundary between volunteers and members was often blurred. Often members had been the
founders of the lunch club, and old age had pushed them to take a back seat, if they let
themselves. Some of the lunch club members who had been a big part in the smooth
running of the club, and despite the
challenges of ill health, pushed on to do
whatever little bit they could. One lady in
Case study:
particular, founded one of the lunch
clubs, and unfortunately had developed
One couple had been attending their lunch club
dementia, yet she was still active in the
(and the adjoining church) for over twenty five
tasks and activities of the lunch clubs.
years. The lady cooked for over twenty years and
her husband was responsible for the music, with
impressive skills in brass instruments. Following
her stepping down from the cooking duties, she
began to take on the role of managing arts and
crafts. Unfortunately, her husband had recently
developed ill health, and had to take it easy from
responsibilities at the lunch club. However,
despite his ill health and limited mobility, he still
sat at the end of the lunches, polishing every last
bit of cutlery.
However, for those who are active
volunteers by name, the benefits and
impact of being involved in a lunch club
was evident too. Some lunch clubs have
those who are doing community service,
or on probation. Some volunteers are
from BME backgrounds, have issues
gaining employment or have disabilities
that limit their ability to gain employment.
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One gentleman told me his story of becoming unemployed during the recession, but also
how his eye condition affected his ability to find work. He took his aunt to a lunch club, and
the organiser recognised his skills and suggested he took the role of doing the book keeping.
The lunch club supported him with an appropriate computer for his vision. He said:
“I enjoy doing this at the lunch club…I do get out a bit but not as much as I used to. It
keeps me busy; I don’t think I’ll be able to get another job again. I enjoy doing my job,
getting my work done. I don’t feel that I’m not wanted by anyone.”
The inclusive nature of lunch clubs and its support goes beyond the members who attend for
their lunch; it goes for everyone who sits in the community centre or the church on that
afternoon. Several of the volunteers spoke of their enjoyment of the lunch club, how they
looked forward to it, listening to the stories of the members
and them too, becoming involved in a group and
community. Volunteers said that it was just as important for
“In life, these are the
them as it was for the members.
heroes.”
It wasn’t just their time that volunteers gave, too. There was
care, compassion and dedication to the running of the club and everyone who was part of it.
Many of the members went beyond the lunch club duty roles, such as one lunch club
volunteer assisting a member to a hospital appointment following the lunch. The organisation
of lunch clubs are not just social support and engagement for the members, they are a
purpose, and integration for all of those who are involved in its community.
Barriers to access
Although lunch clubs proved to support and enhance health, ill health and disability was also
a barrier in attending lunch clubs, or being supported and integrated into the environment.
There were ‘visible’ barriers such as access to the building and limitations in member’s
mobility, but also more unseen or unspoken factors. Firstly, several members had specific
dietary requirements, in particular a gluten free diet, and this was originally not catered for in
the lunch club environment. However, it appears that this has improved and there were a
handful of members who stated that lunch club organisers had been able to accommodate
their gluten free diet so they could attend the club. Secondly, and a difficult topic to discuss
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with members, but a very important one, is issues of continence and toilet access. Often,
there is not clear signposting to the toilets, or for some, they need assistance in going to the
bathroom, something which is taboo and difficult to discuss in the lunch club environment.
However, one of the most profound barriers was that of hearing. Sitting with lunch club
members on group tables, it became apparent (if they didn’t say so first) that a member on
the table had a hearing impairment. More often
than not they were excluded from chatter and
“It is only when we go to the
laughter, conversations were missed, and jokes
funerals of the members do we
passed them by. Speaking to one of the
realise the real importance of the
members about this, she stated that she often
missed full group conversations and hearing
club, when the family say, ‘oh,
aids often made group noise problematic and
you’re from the lunch club!”
disruptive, particularly when trying to engage in
a one to one conversation. Lunch clubs are aimed to
integrate members of the community, those who are at
“One of the ladies was
risk of becoming isolated, yet the organisation,
misunderstood. She said we
environment and accommodation of those who live
were leaving her out. It turns
with
hearing
impairments
are
seemingly
out she was deaf.”
underestimated.
Practically, transport is one of the primary barriers to access. The majority, if not all of the
lunch clubs, work with transport services such as Transport 17, Sheffield Community
Transport and Door-2-Door. On a wider scale, lunch club members stated that without
transport, whether it is their family picking them up and driving them to the supermarket, or
the community bus assisting them to the lunch club, they simply wouldn’t get out. Those who
were part of the transport organisation often did more than simply drive them, they assisted
them to their seats in the lunch club, they knew the members routine and things about their
life. The transport was also a social event, a chat on the bus, and one stated that she is
often ‘out waiting before the bus even arrives’. Some of the transport services also stayed for
lunch and supported the members, but also enjoyed their company. Some of the transport
services run on a voluntary basis, and lunch clubs work side by side with them to support
each other.
Finally, accessing lunch clubs is also a matter of knowing about them, and having the
confidence to go along. Some members are lucky enough to know others at a group, and tag
along with them, or have a health professional support their first day there, whereas others
do not necessarily have this luxury. On one visit, a gentleman was there for the first time,
and a family member supported him, she said:
“He gets out but he needs a change from walking around town every day. I don’t think he
would have come on his own for the first time.”
Those who would benefit from lunch clubs need support not only in going along and
breaking the ice, but also in finding out the information and resources to set it up. One lady
stressed that despite going to the lunch club, she wanted more in her life, yet didn’t know
how to get involved. There is a barrier not only of getting the information across, but picking
up the phone, or putting a coat on and heading to the community centre to see what they
can find.
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Conclusion
The research set out to explore the impact of lunch clubs on individual’s lives, the important
features and benefits of the lunch clubs to the members. Moreover, it set to seek how lunch
clubs could potentially be improved from the lunch club members’ perspective. It sought to
offer recommendations to improve the practices and organisation of the club, but also to
enhance the experience of those who attend. The research took a qualitative methods
approach, aimed at discovering the thoughts and feelings of the lunch club members’
perspectives. Ten lunch clubs were identified who received funding from Sheffield City
Council and visits to the club were made between March and April 2016.
The research found that lunch clubs are absolutely crucial for companionship, from the
friends whom they already know, to the allocated table and the wider community activities.
For a large proportion of those who attend lunch clubs (and worryingly, for those who haven’t
made it to one yet), this is the only social event, the only time to see other people, to interact,
to laugh, and to listen to something other than their own thoughts or the ‘company’ and
‘background noise’ of the television.
Lunch clubs go beyond the monotonous day time television activity, they break the routine.
From the bus journey, the meal, and the diversity of activities, it is something to do. It must
be acknowledged there may be a way to go in developing activities, building upon tea and
bingo, their importance must not be underestimated. Likewise, the importance of physical
activity in lunch clubs and keeping the mind and body active was acknowledged. It was also
stressed that many of the lunch club members were at the receiving end of Activity Sheffield
cuts, with the termination of keep fit activities, chairobics, and many turning to lunch clubs as
something else to keep them occupied.
Similarly, the importance of volunteering and members doing
their bit must not be underestimated. There was no clear
distinction between the volunteers and the members, and right
down to polishing the cutlery, members got involved. Beside
the members too, were the opportunities that being a volunteer
gave to many members of the local community; recognition for
ability and their contribution. The volunteers, those who cooked
or supported with the transport, went beyond their roles, they
were not just supporting the club; they were friends.
Finally, it must be stressed that barriers to accessing lunch
clubs still remain. Despite the fact that much has been done to
tackle physical barriers and transport being crucial to
overcoming this, many issues still remain. Specific dietary
requirements are barriers which are only recently being
addressed. Issues around continence, access and support to
toilet facilities remains a crucial yet often dismissed topic of discussion. Moreover, those with
hearing impairments are situated in social environments, yet remain socially isolated.
There are clear indicators for the necessity of lunch clubs for older people in Sheffield, the
impact they have on individuals’ lives, and the wider collective, and how this takes form.
However, there are recommendations to enhance this further:
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Recommendations








There were methodological challenges in this research. Due to time and limited
resources, it was only possible to visit ten lunch clubs in Sheffield and often these
visits did not fully capture each individual experience. For future research, it would be
beneficial to participate and observe the lunch clubs, but also to talk to members on a
one to one basis, outside of the busy lunch club environment;
A bigger push for referrals to lunch clubs. It must be acknowledged that this research
captured those who were in receipt of the benefits of attending a lunch club. There is
a large amount of the ageing population yet to be reached;
Likewise, volunteers are crucial for the functioning of the lunch club. It is evident the
benefits of being a volunteer, and how inclusive volunteering is; of age, dis/ability,
gender, and ethnicity. Supporting lunch clubs offers a purpose, an opportunity to
develop skills, and an opportunity to make friends;
Within the lunch club, organisers and its members must take steps to integrate
beyond the lunch table. For example, one club chose to have separate tables for
activities, which meant that often members sat with new people;
Integration within tables of members and volunteers. For many of the clubs,
volunteers had their own table, separate to members, or even in a different space. To
encourage engagement and reduce power dynamics, volunteers could sit within the
members, not beside them. Another reason for volunteers to sit within groups is to
ensure that those with hearing impairments are able to be involved in the group, or
benefit from a closely supported conversation;
A potential for evening events. One member suggested that they would like
something to do in the evening, and transport to support this;
To work with other members of the community. One lunch club had a pen pal
scheme set up with local children, and another lunch club said how members loved
to see children’s activities. Lunch clubs, and other community events, must work
together to bring together those of all ages, backgrounds and abilities;
Organisations, lunch club organisers, volunteers, members and further research
must work towards listening to the experiences, thoughts and feelings of those who
are involved. We must let their stories be told, and we must listen to them.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all of the lunch clubs, the organisers, the volunteers and the members for
welcoming me and allowing me to conduct this research. Thank you to the lunch clubs who
kindly donated photographs of their lunch club activities. Thank you to The University of
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Sheffield for supporting this research in collaboration with the Voluntary Sector Liaison Team
at the Sheffield City Council.
Finally, thank you to those at the clubs, who asked me if I’d come again, pulled up a chair
and offered me lunch. I left many of the lunch clubs feeling that I had made some friends,
and if I walked back next week, I would be welcome.
Further information
To find out more about lunch clubs currently funded and in operation visit the Council
website at www.sheffield.gov.uk/lunchclubs where there is a directory of clubs in operation
and a map of the lunch club locations.
Further information about lunch clubs is available from:
Voluntary Sector Liaison Team
Moorfoot Building
Level 11, West Wing
Sheffield S1 4PL
Tel: 0114 273 4631
Email: [email protected]
References
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Project [online] available from http://www.elsa-project.ac.uk/ (last accessed 25/04/16).
Fellows, J. (2014) Lunch Club Support and Development Service: Review of Older People’s
Lunch Clubs, Sheffield City Council (available through the Sheffield City Council).
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