23/09/2022
The Skylark church team serving at Dukes Orchard has cooked its final meal.
Stu Alleway and Paul Leaman met with the managers at Dukes Orchard back in April 2016. And in May that year, started our first monthly cake and coffee morning. In September, the same year, Paul led a team to cook a two course meal on the final Friday of each month. In the 5 years, the residents have enjoyed over 65 cake and coffee mornings as well as over 50 lunches. Even during lockdown, when permitted, the team held outdoor cake and coffee mornings. When we weren't allowed to meet up, we never missed a birthday and would sing outside the residents windows through our masks whilst standing 2 metres apart!"
Paul says "The team had agreed that the season was run as the dynamic had changed since the early days. Dukes now takes in a younger client, many of whom are working. Sadly, many of the original attendees had either passed away or had moved to places which delivered a higher clinical level of care"
Paul in acknowledging the team said "Kimmy and I couldn't have led this team without the current and former team members. People who have served included Pete and Val Hylton, Kevin Killin, Steve Yelland, Stu Alleway, Carol Stern and Kathleen Thompson. The current team, Rob and Pauline Alleway and Lesley Kemp, Kimmy and I are pictured at the final meal.
Our aim was to try and bring people together, to create a community and to cook them a nourishing meal. We believe that we achieved that. We have agreed that we wanted to maintain our friendship with the senior ressies and will take them out for cake and coffee in Writtle village as well having lunch with them at our houses"
Finally, thanks to Pete and Nicki Sims for their support since the very beginning.
ps Did I mention that when we first started, the Environmental Health team awarded us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating, we retained that earlier this year on our second inspection!
