New friends made at Telford Breakfast Club

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin’s new Men's Breakfast Club in Telford has proved a popular way to start the day.

‘These are my friends now,’ said Mr Singh with a smile. He was referring to the two men sitting at the same table as him, two men he’d only met one hour before.

But this was a typical reaction to be heard at the newly launched Telford Men’s Breakfast Club, organised by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin at the Toby Carvery at Shawbirch Crossroads.

Topics of conversation ranged from local history to driving a fork-lift truck, not to mention discussions about the deliciousness of the bacon and eggs on offer.

‘Everyone seemed to have a great time, and particularly Mr Singh and his new-found friends,’ said the charity’s Service Development Officer Claire Fishlock. ‘It was just so heartwarming to hear feedback like this.’

‘We had 27 gentlemen come along to our very first session, which is fantastic. Everyone enjoyed a lovely, very tasty, cooked breakfast and, like Mr Singh, also very much enjoyed the company.’

Mr Singh, 83 years of age and from Leegomery, had arrived alone and said he was delighted to have made new friends so quickly. ‘Everyone is very nice,’ he said.

‘I came to this country in 1960 and got a job with the engineering firm GKN Sankey. When I began there I was working on the manufacture of steel office equipment such as filing cabinets and things like that. But later I moved to the wheel shop, and I was a fork-lift truck driver for many years. The people were very nice. And the people here today are very nice.’

On another table were five local history enthusiasts, all members of the Madeley History Society, Richard, Colin, Steve, Graham and Garry. ‘Obviously, we already knew each other before we came here today, but it’s a lovely thing to come to,’ said Garry.

But how did they first come to hear about the Breakfast Club? Colin laughed and jokingly pointed his finger at the Service Development Officer sitting next to him. ‘It was Claire here. We were all in a coffee shop together and she rapped on the window at us. She basically commandeered us, in a nice way, and ordered us all to be here today!’

Claire laughed and said: ‘They were quite a rowdy bunch so I jokingly told them to keep the noise down. They asked me where I was from. I said Age UK Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and told them about the new Breakfast Club, and they all agreed there and then to come along.’

The club is for men aged over 50, and although primarily about meeting for breakfast and a good chat, there will be scope in the future to branch out into various other interests if that’s what members would like, perhaps gardening or walking.

To book your place at the Breakfast Club or if you’d just like to find out more about it, call Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233 123 or email enquiries@ageukstw.org.uk