The second week of October marked the one-year anniversary of Christ Church Swindon’s Lunch Club, a weekly gathering which provides a space for community and friendship, particularly for the lonely and vulnerable. The gathering has been organised by Mother and Daughter duo Pat and Toni-Jo since it began as a small idea one year ago. We were lucky enough to be able to attend, enjoy a delicious lunch and speak with Pat and Toni-Jo about the heartwarming impact of the project.
When the Olive Tree Cafe - a community Charity dedicated to supporting those experiencing mental health struggles - closed its doors in 2024, Pat, who had volunteered as a chef, felt she needed a new place to focus her efforts. Her deep-set passion for volunteering is inspired by memories of her mother baking bread for the homeless community during Pat’s childhood. In the past, Pat has volunteered with charities at home and abroad, including in Costa Rica, where she volunteered as a teacher with Nicaraguan refugees.
Pat and Toni-Jo started attending Christ Church Swindon in 2023. Through volunteering in the Church Garden, Toni-Jo met Chris Smith, who has organised a lunch club previously and was looking for someone to start a new one. She immediately thought, ‘Mum could do that,’ and spoke with her about starting it up again. Within a day, Pat had contacted to the council and begun the process of registering the club.
The first lunch took place on 14 October 2024 and was attended by 12 people, all of whom remain regular attendees one year later. It is open to all ages, with a particular focus on the elderly. Following the lunches, many of the members gather to play board games, deepening their friendships and developing a close community. The friendships formed thrive outside of the Monday lunchtimes too, and groups often meet up to go on trips together. Pat and Toni-Jo have also organised one-off events, and last year, the group came together for a Christmas gathering where they sang carols and shared presents. Different members of the group supported the event with their various skills, deepening the group's sense of community and togetherness.
The lunch club has had a positive impact not only on the group it serves but also on Pat and Toni-Jo. They both emphasised how running the club has brought them closer together, with Pat saying: 'Not only is Toni-Jo my daughter, but she is my best friend too.' She also said that running the project has 'given her another purpose,' and Toni-Jo spoke of the positive impact it has had on her mental health.
The one-year anniversary lunch was a special one and featured three courses rather than the usual two, flowers and wine on the tables, and a specially made birthday cake. Speaking to several of the regular attendees, it is clear how important the group is for them, as it gives them an opportunity to make new friends and catch up with old ones. The event was also attended by the mayor, who praised the volunteers for the great work they do.
Between the second and third courses, Pat gave a speech where she thanked those who make the lunch club possible. She thanked the manager of the local Co-Op, for awarding the lunch club a £500 grant to buy cooking and kitchen equipment. She also highlighted the efforts of Tom, a volunteer who has run two marathons to raise £1,111 to fix the cooker. She went on to praise the tireless efforts of the volunteers and celebrated the warm, welcoming community they’ve built together. At the end of her speech, she summed up the power of the lunch club, saying that it allowed “Kindness and connection to echo beyond Church walls”. A homemade cake with a huge sparkler was then brought out before Pat was given a gift by the volunteers to show their appreciation for all she does.
In the future, Toni-Jo wants to grow the number of events the lunch club hosts by organising another carol service, a Christmas dinner, and quarterly short trips. She also emphasised how grateful they are for each of the volunteers and mentioned how the club couldn’t run without them.
This event sums up so much of what is brilliant about the local church. The lunch club offers a space where members of the local community can come to experience hospitality and friendship, inspired by the love of Christ and open to all.