Portsmouth Cathedral lunch club welcomes mayor and mayoress as well as new bishop in relaunch celebration

Originally founded in 1982, the club was forced to close in February 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A grand reopening event was held today at the cathedral’s Becket Hall, with diners sitting down together to enjoy a hot lunch.

Organiser Maureen Cole said: ‘I think it went very, very, very well.

‘People just love to come. Some of them hadn’t done it since lockdown.

‘It’s always been a regular group of people that come every week and look forward to seeing each other. It’s been lovely.’

Of the 39 people who attended the lunch club today, 27 have already booked for next week’s meeting.

Guests enjoyed shepherd’s pie and apple crumble, produced by a team from the Duke of Buckingham pub and served by six volunteers.

Maureen, who has been a part of the lunch club for 17 years and is part of the cathedral community, said: ‘The meal was absolutely lovely.

‘The landlord, Andrew, has been the most tremendous support the last few weeks, even helping with volunteers.

‘Councillor Chris Attwell was also here today, and he was able to put us in contact with new volunteers.

‘The Lord and Lady Mayoress were there, and the new bishop popped his head in and said grace.’

The lunch club will take place on Fridays rather than on Tuesdays as it was pre-Covid, and it will be held from 12.30pm each week.

A hot meal, pudding, and tea or coffee will be provided for £5.

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There will be a different menu each week that rotates for every week of the month - a hotpot for the first week, shepherd’s pie for the second, then roast chicken and fish and parsley sauce for the third and fourth week, and bangers and mash if a month has a fifth week.

There is also a special Christmas meal planned.

Guests are asked to opt in each week so that organisers can get an idea of numbers.

Contact Maureen through the cathedral offices to join the lunch club.

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