Originally set up by Whin Inglesfield, the organisation of the delivery rota was taken over by Margaret Shore in 1984. Margaret reports that whereas a few years ago there were often more than ten (and for a while nearly twenty) clients to whom lunch was delivered on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the number has fallen markedly.
Monday and Wednesday has only had one customer for some months so her meals have been delivered directly from Kendal. Friday numbers have now also dropped and the remaining client no longer needs the meals so the Natland service has been stood down. Indeed, it is understood that the future of the entire Cumbrian service is currently under review.
Meals were originally prepared at St Mark’s School but in recent years have come from the Whinfell Centre in Kendal. The Natland team has delivered all over the area between Natland, Oxenholme, Sedgwick, Hincaster, Gatebeck, Endmoor and Crooklands.
Margaret thanks Graham Needham for allowing Natland Post Office to act as the collection point for the meals and also thanks the large number of volunteers who, over the years, have given their time to deliver this valuable service which has provided not just a hot meal but vital human contact for the elderly and the infirm. Their efforts have been much appreciated by the recipients, many of whom were great characters.