On Saturday 13th January Alton Town Council organised Alton’s first Warm Winter Community Lunch event at The Alton Assembly Rooms with the support of Dementia-friends Alton Group and the A31 PCN Social Prescriber team.
Alton’s first Warm Winter Community Lunch event came about after Alton Town Council’s Community Projects and Enhancements Officer, Emily-Jane Messenger, took part in the ‘Eden Project Communities’ community development programme. It followed a session hosted by the ‘Warm Spaces’ community team, when ambassadors from all over the country shared ideas about how they could help to support communities in their own areas this winter especially as the cost-of-living crisis continues and social isolation is sadly on the increase.
Over 70 guests and their carer’s were invited by the A31 PCN Social Prescribing team, Dementia-friends Alton and Parish of the Resurrection Churches. Everyone enjoyed sharing a lovely two course warm lunch, followed by some uplifting live entertainment from local singer Jack Trinder.
Alton Town Council said “This winter we were delighted to be able to bring some of the most vulnerable and isolated members of our community together to share food and friendship at the Warm Winter Community Lunch. January can feel incredibly lonely, so being invited to this free community lunch event was an excellent way for people to keep connected and forge new community ties.”
All of this couldn’t have happened without the help from an amazing group of community-minded volunteers who not only helped with the arranging and staging of the event but also stepped in with the serving and clearing away. The volunteers also provided conversation and offered a friendly face making everyone feel very welcome at the event and making sure no one was sat alone. We hope that the volunteer team also enjoyed the social interaction and the feel-good-feeling that helping within our community gives us all.
This Warm Winter Community Lunch was made possible by donations from Resurrection Furniture, The Holybourne Complin Trust, along with Community Grants from HCC Cllr Andrew Joy and EHDC Cllrs Barbara Tansey, Emily Young and Warren Moore to whom we are very thankful.
We are now looking forward to our summer Eden Project Big Lunch event, the annual ‘Picnic in the Park’ with Alton Concert Band on Sunday 2nd June 2024, from 1-3pm in Alton’s Public Gardens. The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, with thousands of people coming together for a few hours of food, friendship, and fun. It connects people and encourages friendlier, safer communities where people can share more conversations, ideas, skills, resources and friendship. We hope to see you all there!