We've been going since the late 90s. It was started a few years before I took over. Peter and I volunteered after we'd been a few times to the coffee morning and enjoyed it so much. Also it was a way of making new friends. Therefore, when I was told it was about to finish due to other commitments, I volunteered to take over.

It's a great way for making new friends, people you may only see once a week. The fact it's still going after all this time proves it's well liked. Then the money we make goes to various charities, as well as some of our own parish causes.

We started off after the 9-30am Mass, but after one of the Masses stopped and we only had two morning Masses, we carried on after the early one, as it suited our teams better. We were happily surprised that after the first couple of weeks, we had as many people as ever coming, because although we lost a few, we also gained more.

A few years ago Tony Pickles spoke to me about having a coffee morning after the later Mass; he'd been asked by a few people, and that has also become popular I'm happy to say.

Both groups are always looking for more volunteers, that too is a way of getting to know more people, and as we serve, we chat and laugh together, then when the first rush is over, we mingle until we're needed again.
If anyone is interested in volunteering, then pop in after Mass and ask. I know Tony is regularly at the later one, and I'm there most weeks after the early coffee morning, but even if it's a week we're not, whoever is serving that morning will be glad to help you.

If you feel unable to volunteer, we'd still love to see you, and I'm sure once you've been, it will become one of your regular Sunday activities.

Elizabeth Cumiskey.