No such thing as a free lunch? Not at Clifton Meadows or Dearne Hall

Two care homes in Rotherham and the Dearne Valley have invited older people from the local community to a free lunch in a bid to reduce loneliness.

Staff and residents at Anchor's Clifton Meadows in Badsley Street, Off Badsley Moor Lane, and Dearne Hall, in Bolton on Dearne, are inviting older people, who would otherwise be on their own, to join them for a free lunch.

The catering team hope older people living alone will benefit from a free hot meal.

Kerry Lawton, Manager of Clifton Meadows said: "We're delighted to be inviting older people from our local community to come and join us for lunch.

"Research from the Campaign to End Loneliness shows that around ten per cent of the population aged over 65 feel lonely all or most of the time, with more than 800,000 older people being chronically lonely.

"It is important as a charity that we are not only committed to happy living for our residents but we do the same for the local community by providing a hot nutritious meal to vulnerable older people.

"The lunch will give the older people the chance to have a chat over a meal and make new friends."

Clifton Meadows prides itself on its community activities, and pupils from Herringthorpe Junior School visited to join in with making Easter bonnets

Places are limited for the lunches and will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis, so to book a place, contact Clifton Meadows on 0800 085 4295 or Dearne Hall on 01709 882090.