Lent lunches on the way

A SERIES of Lent lunches will kick off in Dumfries next week. The first of six luncheons will be held on Friday February 20 in St John’s Church Hall, Lovers Walk. The events will support Christian Aid and will be prepared by teams from churches across Dumfries. This Dumfries institution has been held on the six Fridays of Lent for over 50 years and the last lunch this year will be on March 27 At all of them, soup, rolls, teas and coffees will be served from 12 noon until 1.30 pm and all are welcome. There will be a sales table including homemade baking and other items. Alison Wright, convenor of the Christian Aid committee, said: “We are looking forward to the soup lunches and hope to raise as much money as in previous years for Christian Aid. "As a friend of mine once said, 'You know spring is coming when the Lenten Lunches start'. "Over £5000 was raised last year over the six weeks. The hall is always busy, there is a great atmosphere, and the soup is always very tasty. We are grateful to the teams from ten churches who will over the weeks, provide soup and the sales tables." She noted that last year marked 80 years since the organisation was founded by British and Irish churches to help refugees following World War II - and it's believed activity in Dumfries started in the 1960s with the Lenten Lunches starting in the early 1970s. Margaret Morton, committee secretary, added: “Our Friday lunches are very friendly, happy occasions where anyone can come along, meet lots of others and enjoy some really good food. "We are well supported by people in the town not just churchgoers and we have a good range of soups, all homemade.” The cash raised will go towards ongoing development opportunities in impoverished countries around the world. Last year enough was raised to send 200 children to school in Burundi - one of the world's poorest countries.