A guest post from Bill Gough, Project Manager, Lunch Club+ 4 The Blind

This social lunch club ‘Lunch Club+ 4 The Blind’ has been in existence sense the seventies. During this time the Club has had to close from time to time because of the ever present difficulty of fund raising. The reasons often given, and were given this time round for our unsuccessful application to our council, are:  “because we are not a new project”, or “we are not unique”, or new reasons like, “the application form wasn’t filled out go enough.”

We have received grants from the council’s ‘Fast Track’ in the past with no problems. We just need a couple of thousand pounds to pay for the mini bus, provided by Westway Community Transport, to take poeple to and from the lunch. I do the driving myself but the cost of the mini bus hire has been put up to £75 a week.

Other charities are helpful and let you know if they require further information or clarity. But it does seem like the local council are cutting back on grant awards. ‘Lunch Club+ 4 The Blind’ is entirely run by experienced volunteers.

The presents management volunteers have kept the club going sense 2010. The club is an ongoing concern, therefore, for our club/service to continue, our efforts are always constant to find funding from charities and local authorities etc. We managed to keep the club going last year with a grant from a blind charity, a donation from a friend of the club’s, and donations from a club member and a management member. It was a real struggle to keep going.

It would be so helpful if we could find some good charity to cover our transport cost on more of a permanent basis.

We started with little help in 2010, and we remain needing to be financed each year, especially with the accessible minibus transport cost. We offer our service to Blind, Visually Impaired, Disabled Elderly people who would other wish be stuck in doors. The Club gives our service users an opportunity to socialise and forge friendships with other residence in the local community. This Club is much enjoyed and appreciated by our service users who attend our weekly lunches at the Elgin Close Resource Centre. Obviously this kind of service is vital, for the good service provision and spirit of our society.

If you would like to make a donation – or you know someone who would benefit from joining the Lunch Club – then contact Bill on 079868-25655 or goughbill@btinternet.com