Innovation Fund Feedback from our friends at Open Age

Project Bootcamp was awarded the Innovation Fund to support the running of their monthly Sunday Lunch at St Margaret’s Activity Centre.

Since Open Age took over the running of St Margaret’s three and a half years ago we had run a monthly lunch for individuals over the age of 50; whereby those attending pay £4.50 and receive a hot three course meal and a glass of wine.

The lunches were run by the Sunday Lunch Coordinator and a team of dedicated volunteers. Unfortunately in 2017 their oven broke and they did not have funding available to cover the cost of a new oven and the work associated with the installation. Due to the oven breaking they had to postpone the lunches whilst trying to raise the money via fundraising.

In total the lunches didn’t run for approximately six months and they were hugely missed by Open Age members who for some them, this was their only opportunity to socialise and meet others.

Open Age fed back “The Innovation Fund we received was hugely beneficial to this project. Not only did it help to buy a new oven but also covered all costs of the installation, a deep clean of the kitchen (including extractor fan) and also cover the cost of a new freezer which we were able to purchase just before the lunches resumed in January 2018!”

In January 2018 Open Age resumed running the monthly lunches, which was extremely well received with 52 individuals attending in the first month, five of which were brand new members who had never attended before.

Since then they have had 45 individuals regularly attended the lunches. Approx. 34% are aged 70+, 51% are aged 80+ and 20% are 90+. Although Open Age works to deliver activities for individuals over the age of 50, they reported that the majority of individuals attending the Sunday Lunches were individuals aged 70 or above and the lunches were their most popular activity.

Below are some quotes from Open Age members in regards to the Sunday Lunches (February 2018):

“I wouldn’t have a hot meal on a Sunday and it gets me out of the house to meet with others and stop a lonely Sunday (or weekend)”

“Love coming here, look forward to it!”

“My wife and I find it a great privilege to be among such wonderful people of our own age in a wonderful surrounding. Not to mention wonderful food and most of all to be in the compare of those who care”

Now they have a working oven and functional kitchen, they are able to support weekly Open Age activities better and also work in partnership with external organisations such as Healthy Hearts to run healthy and nutritional cooking classes.