A LUNCH club for elderly people could be taking its last orders.

The popular Chickerell Luncheon Club may be forced to close its doors to 90 elderly members because the volunteers who run it are unable to continue.

Organiser Mary Barber will give up when she turns 80, while cook Yvonne Eaton has to quit for personal reasons.

The club's secretary, the Rev Duncan Wilson, also has to give up for health reasons.

The future of the lunch club, held monthly at Willowbed Hall, now hangs in the balance because no volunteers can be found to take it on.

Mrs Barber, 79, of Chickerell, said: "I started the lunch club with my husband Monty because I looked out of the window and saw a widower walking along looking a bit lonely.

"We had 28 people at the first lunch and it's now grown to more than 90 members and we had 101 people at our last lunch.

"Something happened over that time. We just gelled.

"It would be a tremendous loss to Chickerell if we had to close down. There are so many friendships that have been made here.

"In a way the companionship is more important than the food."

The club has enough manpower to be staffed for a few more months but most of the members are too elderly to take on the responsibility, Mrs Barber said.

She hopes that younger volunteers will come forward and take over the reins of the club. she added: "All our members have been given notification that we might close by Christmas and people are disappointed.

"We could do with some young mums who might be available to help out during the day - it's this sort of group we want to tap into.

"There don't seem to be so many people who are able to volunteer these days."

The lunch club also holds annual outings and raises money for charity.

The club is held on the first Thursday of every month. Anyone who can volunteer as a cook, secretary or organiser should call 01305 780243.