Lunch club launched at former Startforth primary school

A FORMER school building is hosting a new lunch club in another bid to get the place back on its feet.

Startforth Morritt Memorial Primary School was closed by Durham County Council last year but volunteers have kept the building alive with keep fit classes, Castle Players rehearsals and parties on the site.

Now villagers Debbie Herbert and Barbara Thompson are taking a new venture in to the 19th century building – a lunch club, with a taster session next Thursday, August 10, between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

The pair saw a gap in the Lunch Club roster and decided to step into the breach.

Ms Thompson said: “I have my own event catering firm so I know what a lunch club is. There would have to be 20 to 30 people for it to be worth doing and I think we probably will. We know there are quite a few bits and bobs going on in there.”

Tickets to the taster will cost £3 including a lunch, tea or coffee and a raffle ticket.

If the session goes well, Ms Thompson and Ms Herbert are hoping to host two course homemade meals every Thursday starting September 7 from 11.30am to 1.30pm at £6.50 each.

Ms Herbert said: “It’s good for older people to get some food and mix – it’s a good chance to meet up in the winter months.

“A lot of people I’ve spoken to don’t know the building is here – it’s a chance to make something good out of something sad.”

Trustees from the Morritt Memorial Fund arranged a caretaker to look after the former school site earlier this year.

The Morritt Fund contains an estimated £133,000 – raised mainly from the sale of old cottages which used to house teachers in the late 19th century.

However, conditions stipulate the money must be used for educational purposes which limits what can be done.

More complications come from half the old school buildings being owned by Durham County Council with the other half belonging to the Diocese of Leeds.

Fund trustee Colin Clarke said there had been a lot of interest in hiring the building but the legal situation was still posing problems.

He said: “They cannot make up their minds – the church committee are certainly keen to keep the place running as long as possible.

“My wife tried to get the building sorted some years ago when the school was running – it has taken a long time.”

The Startforth Community Centre had a website made on its behalf earlier this year and a Facebook page is also up and running.

Mr Clarke also revealed Sir Andrew Morritt was keen to see the building continuing to be used by villagers.

He added: “He has been in touch. They do not want it to be sold off or converted into flats – they want it to remain a community use building.”

If you would like to join or to help out at the Startforth Lunch Club, call Ms Herbert on 01833 690805 or head down to the taster session.