Small grant, big impact: £500 supports Shildon community centre's Luncheon Club

A £500 microgrant from Wellbeing for Life (WBFL) has helped Jubilee Fields Community Centre in Shildon further its mission as a wellbeing hub - providing vital support to the health and wellbeing of its local community through affordable, nutritious meals and opportunities for social connection.

With 52% of working-age adults in the North East living in relative poverty and 32.8% of school-aged children in County Durham eligible for free school meals, the challenge of feeding families healthy food every day remains significant. The Jubilee Fields Luncheon Club has stepped up to support the community, providing freshly prepared two-course meals every Friday for people of all ages.

Lindsey Wood, Wellbeing for Life Manager, said: “Jubilee Fields Community Centre is one of WBFL’s 17 wellbeing hubs across County Durham. As community venues support the vision of wellbeing and learning for all, each hub has a representative who works closely with them to offer wellbeing support and advice. This could vary from weekly advice visits, support at wellbeing events to holding wellbeing programmes on site. As part of becoming a wellbeing hub each venue can access a small grant to further support their community wellbeing programme.

“The Jubilee Fields Luncheon Club is a great example of how even modest funding can create meaningful change, ensuring that no one in the community is left behind at mealtimes.”

Previously operating under tight financial and logistical constraints, the club struggled to purchase food in bulk or store leftovers due to limited kitchen facilities. This often led to higher costs and unnecessary food waste.

Thanks to the WBFL grant, the club was able to purchase a chest freezer – a simple but transformative investment. This has allowed the team to:

• Buy in bulk – purchasing ingredients like meat, vegetables, and bread at lower unit prices.

• Reduce waste – by freezing leftovers to reuse in future meals.

• Plan ahead – preparing food in batches and freezing portions to save time on busy days.

“A small change has made a big difference,” said Lesley Bowes, Centre Development Co-ordinator at Jubilee Fields. “Thanks to the savings made possible by the freezer, the club has been able to keep the cost of a two-course meal at just £2.50 per person – making it affordable for everyone in the community.

“The freezer has helped the club get more for their money. By buying larger amounts of food at lower prices and storing them safely, we can serve more meals, welcome more guests, and still stay within budget.”

Jules Howe, Wellbeing for Life Community Connector, praised the club's efforts: “Jubilee Fields Luncheon Club has gone from strength to strength. It now provides 30 to 35 meals every week, including extra take-out boxes for those who can’t attend in person. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside the team – when we visited recently, there was a wonderful atmosphere and some delicious-looking meals being enjoyed by everyone.”

For more information about Wellbeing for Life wellbeing hubs, contact the team on 0800 876 6887 or email cdda-tr.wbfl@nhs.net.

Wellbeing for Life is a part of Adult Wellbeing Services, delivered in partnership by Pioneering Care Partnership and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.