Banstead Rotary Supports the Big Help Out!

On Monday 8th May – the BIG HELP OUT DAY, some of our members volunteered as welcome party and waiters at the Sanderstead and Selsdon Reach Out. This is an event in which Banstead Club has been involved for many years with members from S&S Club helping us with our Rotary Walk as a reciprocal arrangement.

The weather was kind as a dozen minibuses arrived over about an hour carrying elderly and lonely folk from the local area. These were people who lived alone with carers or relatives looking in on them from time to time together with some who coped entirely alone. Some were wheelchair bound.

The 78 guests arrived to find the hall at All Saints Church in Sanderstead festooned with union jacks and the tables adorned with floral decoration and table cloths with patriotic napkins.

We helped welcome, seat and provide drinks for the guests and then at 1.00 p.m. food was served: ham, beef and chicken salad with buttered boiled pots. We delivered the food from the kitchen area to the tables where it was enthusiastically consumed! Dessert followed and then coffee and a slice of the Coronation cake rounded off the occasion.

Entertainment was provided by singer Barry Stephens using backing tracks. He soon got everyone involved, singing popular songs from over the years.

After reuniting the guests with their correct minibuses, we helped clear the hall and said our farewells.

We were part of a team of volunteers from the home Rotary Club together with folk from West Wickham and Ashtead Clubs with the addition about 15 scouts.

Wendy Parr, President of S&S Rotary Club was delighted with the day and with the happy smiles and voices of those present we felt we had entered into the spirit of the BIG HELP OUT.

Representing Banstead: Suzanne, David and Roger dlP with guest appearance from Paul Lufflum who hosted a table.