Lunch clubs from across Hackney came together last month for a celebration of food and friendship. The event took place at the new East and South East Asian (ESEA) Community Centre on Englefield Road.

The centre is home to a number of ESEA services including Hackney Chinese Community Services (HCCS).

Activities at the event included music, stories and dancing. Food was a key element of the celebration, with food prepared by members of the Hackney Lunch Club Network. A total of eight lunch clubs catered for over 100 elders, volunteers and staff.

The smooth-running of the event was made possible by a team of volunteers from Hackney Chinese Community Services and Nobu Shoreditch.

Funding for the event came from a donation last year by Curry Club to the lunch clubs’ crowdfunding campaign.

Kim Britten, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation, said: “Our members, volunteers and staff who were there on the day had a truly wonderful, very special time and really enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with the other lunch clubs.”

Rachel King, Lunch Clubs Development Coordinator at Hackney CVS, said: “The lunch club coordinators had wanted to gather for a long time and it was great to see them come together to share each other’s cultural dishes. I loved the performances by different lunch clubs, including traditional Vietnamese, Chinese and Kurdish dancing.”

Photo credits: Matt Tam.