Blue Bell serves up Christmas lunch for village's friendship club

The Glinton Friendship Club meets every Monday in the Village Hall,with tea and coffee in the morning followed by a two-course lunch.

But last Monday around 50 members enjoyed their Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, courtesy of the team at the neighbouring Blue Bell pub.

Chef Will Frankgate, wife Kelly and his mum and dad, Bridget and Nick, took to the kitchen as a special festive gesture to the group, which next year celebrates its 15th anniversary.

Will said: “It was something that my dad, who knows club secretary Dave Ellis, organised as a kind gesture and it just felt right.

“The committee works very hard to lay on this social event which gets older people out of the house . They even lay on a minibus for those who are not so mobile.”

With two large turkeys and all the trimmings, a soup starter and Christmas pudding for nearly 50 people to prepare it was “all hands to the deck” in the pub kitchen before transporting it all to the Village Hall, said Will.

“Me and dad worked in the kitchen, Kelly and mum served and washed up, although people were queueing up to help serving, ” said Will.

Mr Ellis was full of praise for the show of good will and the lunch served up by the Frankgates.

“Our Christmas lunch is an annual occasion and we usually have it provided by caterers which we pay for, so for the Blue Bell to sponsor it all is of tremendous help to us,” he said. “It was very generous. We are an over-60s club with 50 volunteers and members so we need all the help we can get.”

For more on joining the club go to www.glinton.net/friendshipclub .