Connel

THROUGHOUT the summer, St Oran’s Parish Church, Connel, is hosting lunches every Thursday from noon until 2pm. The last lunch, on September 8, will be in aid of the charity Mary’s Meals.

The lunches, open to everyone, promote fellow- ship and raise funds for church repairs. A faithful team has cooked and served soup, tea, coffee and cake, cleaned the tablecloths and washed the dishes for a quarter of a century.

Anne Campbell, one of the first three volunteers, is still in the kitchen, stirring the soup and ‘making sure it is perfect’, said a more recent volunteer, Maureen Nicol, of 12 years’ standing.

There are also plants, marmalade and Christmas cards including a 12-recipe cook book for sale.

The Reverend George Cringles, minister of the Parish of Coll with Connel, St Oran’s and Dunbeg, has played and recorded a CD of organ music, which is also for sale in aid of funds.