Church in Neilston helping residents amid the cost-of-living crisis

Each Saturday, except the last Saturday of the month, from 12pm until 2pm, the Neilston Parish Church opens its doors to residents for its Lunch Club.

The club provides a safe place for people in the area to enjoy a free lunch and join in with activities, crafts and games, while it also has clubs and organisations that can help with practical and financial advice.

Officially starting late last year, it is held in and by the church and led by Natasha Ritchie and a team of volunteers.

Reverend Matthew Ritchie, from the church, said they started the club as they were becoming “increasingly concerned” about residents in the village who were struggling.

He said: “Towards the end of last year, we were becoming increasingly concerned about the people in Neilston who were struggling with fuel bills, food bills, and just with the cost of living really.”

The club is run every Saturday, expect the last one of the month (Image: Supplied)

Eagerly wanting to help people in the area, Matthew said they decided to open the church on a Saturday to do so.

The Reverend continued to say: “We decided one of the ways we could help would be to open up the church halls on a Saturday and let people enjoy a warm heated building, a bowl of soup, and some fellowship.

“It was that kind of fairly simple idea which then became Lunch Club.”

The idea of the club is to allow people in the village to socialise, get something to eat and enjoy themselves with others.

“It is giving people an opportunity and a space that’s completely free, just to be them in a safe and warm environment,” Matthew said.

On a good week, around 30 people attend the club and Reverend Matthew said as of lately it has been going “really well".

The club was also recently visited by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields.