Pastry and natter brings veterans flocking to centre
VETERANS are now meeting regularly every Thursday afternoon at Veterans In Communities (VIC) Centre in Haslingden to enjoy Greggs food and a natter.
What started as a one off, has now become a regular get-together and is attracting veterans from all over East Lancashire.
Operations Manager Bob Elliott said: “I think it is great and it is good to see so many veterans in The Hide enjoying the banter.
“I am impressed with how popular it has become in such a short space of time. If it carries on as it has started, we are either going to have to extend it to another day, or find a larger venue where they can meet.
“We are very grateful to Greggs in Haslingden for the supply of surplus
food; we could not run this afternoon without their help.”
David Hoyle has been attending VIC for around five years, and his wife Maureen has accompanied him for the last three.
She said: “Coming here helps David because he was getting depressed and he was struggling at home.”
David, 84, from Haslingden, joined the Royal Engineers on his National Service in 1956 and served in Germany.
Roland and Sheila Dunn, from Rawtenstall, are also regulars at the Thursday Greggs and natter.
Roland, 93, joined up in 1947 and served for six years initially in the Border Regiment, then Manchester Regiment and finally Kings Liverpool.
He worked on transport, was a dispatch rider and drove Bedford QL lorries serving three years in Berlin.
Roland said: “I have been coming to VIC for about five years and I have met quite a few people. It is nice to come here on a Thursday afternoon and have a good chat to everyone and we have made quite a few friends.”
The Thursday Greggs and natter is on from 1pm each week at the Bury Road centre.