On Friday 28th November, with a hall packed full of Lunch Club folk, we had the pleasure of entertaining five guests who had travelled from Cornwall, Oxford, Exeter, Bournemouth, and Ringwood for a very special occasion. Who were they, you might be asking, and why had they come to Blandford Methodist Church Lunch Club.
You may or may not have heard of The Butler Trust or the Kathy Bigger Award. I must admit none of us gathered knew of either of these things until that lunchtime. Kathy Bigger had worked in the probation service for many years before her death and felt it would be good to give an award to the best initiative throughout the country that helped those on probation or community payback.
This year there were forty nominations, all offering valuable worthwhile activities, but after much deliberation the judges felt that the Lunch Clubs operating in Dorset, namely the three that Nadia supervises should receive the award.
Simon Shepherd, from The Butler Trust, did the honours, explaining how the outcome had been decided and presented Nadia with the Kathy Bigger Cup. To support Nadia were Georgina Massey, Nadia’s immediate boss and UPW Operations Manager, Tim Fildes Head of UPW Southwest, Katie Sorrell Head of Dorset PDU, and Becky Hart Regional Probation Director Southwest.
This was a well-deserved accolade as three times a week Nadia and her teams not only provide an excellent homecooked meal, but they prepare the meal, set up the hall, serve the food, clear away, wash and tidy up.
It was a wonderful occasion and good to see hard work recognized and appreciated.
