Cornerstone - the luncheon club outreach for the over-sixties, has certainly increased in size since its conception in 1993. From it’s early provision of a simple bowl of soup, cob and hot pudding to less than a dozen guests, affectionally known as the ‘Bids’, it now serves a four-course meal (plus low alcohol wine and juice) cooked and served up by our hard-working volunteers.

We now have a potential of 36 guests. That’s 36 side plates, 144 pieces of cutlery, 36 soup bowls, 36 dinner plates and subsequently, 36 dessert dishes and 72 wine/juice glasses!  No wonder our poor washers-up think things are coming around twice…..in the case of the soup/dessert bowls, they are!!  There’s also the tea/coffee cups and saucers, teaspoons, milk jugs, sugar bowls, sweet dishes, breadbaskets etc. etc. etc!!!

Work starts early in the kitchen for our lovely chef Lynda, once attired in the obligatory hygiene gear she begins by putting the potatoes on to cook. Having potatoes peeled the day before by our lovely volunteer ‘peelers’ (thank you to Alec and Nikki!) is a HUGE help. Once the potatoes are simmering, she tackles the rest of the meal preparation, joined as the morning goes on by the fabulous volunteers who help in the kitchen and serve the food.

At 11am the two Steve's, our minibuses drivers and helpers, usually Nathaniel and Nikki, set out to collect our lovely Bids from across the area to bring them in for lunch, whilst others arrive under their own steam, often early so they have time for an extra chat! From 12.30 until 2.30pm it is ‘all hands on deck’ whilst each course of lunch is served, then cleared away and when Pastor Jill is in, the members who wish to enjoy a short service, before returning home.

We try to bring as much variety as possible to the meals bearing in mind the difficulty of catering to everyone’s taste, also remembering that we have a variety of dietary requirements to think about. We also try to vary the order in which we serve, so that one side of the table is not always first or last to be served. Despite the stresses, there is still plenty of hilarity in the kitchen, and all our volunteers do a marvellous job.  You know who you are - God bless you all!!

During the Summer, whilst the regular staff are soaking their tired feet and moisturising dishwater-damaged hands, getting themselves recharged for looking after our lovely Bids again at the September re-start, our Bids often enjoy Summer ‘specials’.  We have also had special times together for the big Royal occasions, the most recent being the King's Coronation, and we enjoyed having a very special guest singer to come along to entertain us just before Remembrance Day in 2022.  We always make a fuss of our bids on their birthdays, especially the 'big' ones (0's and 5's!) and the Christmas meal is always a big occasion, with a visit from Santa and a gift for everyone.

Occasionally when church cannot accommodate Cornerstone, usually because of the Summer or Christmas Fayres, the bids are taken for a pub lunch, so the socialising continues.

To all who work so hard and selflessly serving our Bids in any way……… a huge thank you and God bless you.