{"id":88053,"date":"2024-11-19T14:44:29","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T14:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=88053"},"modified":"2024-11-19T16:28:28","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:28:28","slug":"its-not-just-about-rugby-how-free-lunches-at-pentyrch-rfc-are-bringing-comfort-this-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2024\/11\/19\/its-not-just-about-rugby-how-free-lunches-at-pentyrch-rfc-are-bringing-comfort-this-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It\u2019s not just about rugby\u2019 – How free lunches at Pentyrch RFC are bringing comfort this winter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Villagers flock to enjoy soup and a roll once a week cooked up by the club’s manager – and they even get to take home any leftovers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A WEEKLY free lunch initiative run by Pentyrch Rugby Football Club has evolved into a vibrant social hub in Pentyrch village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villagers arrive at Pentyrch Rugby Football Club at 12 noon every Wednesday from October to March for free soup and a roll, plus chatter and table games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RFC does not charge for the use of the hall space, and attendees only pay \u00a33 each week towards the cost of their tea and coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs long as we can cover staffing costs, we don\u2019t have to make a profit and it\u2019s not eating into the club,\u201d club manager Leanne Howell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwaelod-y-Garth resident, Jill Stevens, has been coming for three weeks and loves the chance to socialise: \u201cIt is an occasion to see others out of the house, and I also enjoy the leek and potato soup,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like her, many of the regulars come to the rugby club straight after the morning church service at St Catwg in Pentyrch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pat Phillips, from Creigiau, praised the amount of community support at Pentyrch RFC and enjoys coming to have \u201ca natter\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tricia Fenlon-Jones, the former club manager of Pentyrch RFC, launched the \u2018Wednesday winter warmer\u2019 scheme two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She secured funding from Pentyrch Community Council (PCC) for the winter months to help \u201cany vulnerable people and anybody who was a bit short financially,\u201d said Deb Hunt, community engagement officer for the PCC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the weekly get-together grew so popular, they started offering toasties in the summer despite not being able to get funding for it at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was something for people to go to, even if they were paying a couple of pounds for it,\u201d Mrs Hunt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrish carried it on because people got used to it. My mum is one of them, she\u2019s 84 and loves to meet up with friends. There are people there who might be a bit lonely in the house by themselves, so they go along to have a chat.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Howell buys the ingredients from Asda or Makro and dedicates four hours on one Monday per month to batch cooking four weeks\u2019 worth of leek and potato as well as tomato soup, which she adds to the freezer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She aims to ensure no soup goes to waste by putting leftovers in cups for villagers to take home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s not just about coming for the soup but the social aspect,\u201d Ms Howell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have brought my nan up once or twice \u2013 she\u2019s 93, she loves it. It brings together a lot of people \u2013 that is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is also about checking up on people and it is knowing that they can come back,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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