Spirits high at community lunches across Teesdale

THE dreaded lurgy didn’t put a stop to two community Christmas lunches in the dale.

No fewer than 32 guests turned out at the TCR Hub, in Barnard Castle, on December 25 for a free Christmas dinner hosted by the Meet committee.

Organiser Shona Robinson said the day was absolutely fantastic despite illness stopping a few folk from coming down.

She added: “It was just really good fun and everybody enjoyed themselves – it was a really good day. We had quite a few volunteers on Christmas eve and the day itself and everybody helped clear away.”

She added: “It was a bit exhausting for us lot but extremely satisfying – within 15 minutes of getting home I’d received a thank you card.”

Middleton-in-Teesdale’s second Christmas lunch at The Pathway saw 36 volunteers and guests enjoy a hearty meal.

Chef Charles Kirkbride paid tribute to the Ruddock family and all who mucked in to help organise the day.

He said: “People stayed much later which was a good sign – they were singing songs and there was a really good community spirit. It was super.”

Donations from villagers and meat from McFarlane’s butchers helped the organisers put on a meal worth £14 a head.

Mr Kirkbride added: “We were up on last year by about ten – with the new extensions going on here making it about a third bigger we will be able to do more next year.”