Lunch time can be a lonely part of the day for many people, when it could be a chance to connect with other people and be something to look forward to. So, we organised a series of lunch clubs at Topping Fold Community Centre and Bury Active Women's Centre, to encourage new connections between English and Pakistani people in Bury, so that people felt more included and less isolated in their local community.
We invited people who wouldn't normally meet in everyday life, designing the lunch clubs to create space for people to try new things with old friends or to come alone, encouraging them to visit a new place, meet new people and maybe even make new friends. We served English and Pakistani food, from curries to cream cakes and with healthy options available, so people could try new food and learn about each others' cultures.
After the sessions, people say they are already feeling more comfortable visiting both centres even if they hadn't been before. The lunch clubs have brought two groups of people together and opened the door to new community connections. People mentioned how their wellbeing has improved, they feel less isolated and more likely to reach out to other people in their community after the lunch clubs.
Zahida A
I wanted to get out and meet new people, and I really enjoyed it. The food, the atmosphere, even the way the tables were decorated - everything was really nice. We loved the cake!
Paveen
I enjoy going out and meeting new people with my friend, so I was happy to go to the lunch club with them. It was great to eat out and meet new people, especially to see men and women mingling together! Everyone seemed happy.
It was a good experience to try healthier foods, especially as I'm diabetic. I really enjoyed it!
Rukshana
Shahena encouraged us to come so we could learn about different healthy foods and cultures, and I loved it! Especially being welcomed by Jenny; I'd be happy to go again. The food was fresh, everything was clean and I really liked the way they displayed the food. We were always being offered more food, I liked the offer of salad and water.
Lovely food, lovely people, and a lovely place!
Zahida I and Zubiada
I love socialising, getting out, and speaking to new people, the club looked like a place I could do this. The people were really nice and welcoming, and the veg was fresh. I loved the hospitality and I brought some friends, who enjoyed it too. It's made me realise that we need to come together more as a community, bringing English and Pakistani people together.
We really wanted to try bringing the communities together, we don’t really mix that much but it was nice to try it.
I was a bit worried about serving halal food, but the food was so good. We were happy to meet the lovely ladies and it was a pleasure.
The ladies all really liked our cream cakes; it was a proper treat for them.
The food was absolutely amazing, we really enjoyed it!
The food was out of this world.
I learnt more about Asian food, community and culture.
The food was made by a top chef!
I feel more confident about going in the Bury Active Women’s Centre now and would pop in if I needed to.
I really enjoyed meeting new people.
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