Pancake Day Coffee Morning

On a sunny pancake day Shonagh and I met our clients outside the Tron Church on Buchanan Street. Even before we were sitting down and waiting for the last client to join us the conversation was in full swing. One of the ladies had celebrated her birthday on Saturday and had gone to see the ballet with her daughter and granddaughter. They saw the Nutcracker and loved it! Everyone was saying how they enjoyed the ballet but the prices for the programmes are extortionate!

Once we had ordered our coffees, teas and, for some, a sultana and cinnamon scone, the talk turned to art. The ladies were showing each other the fantastic pieces they had drawn, painted and created. One lady proudly showed off the Christmas decorations she had made at an online event with No.1. 

There was also a discussion about the film Belfast. Some of them loved it whereas another felt there wasn’t enough action. One thing we all agreed on though; Judi Dench is a fabulous actress. We also talked about the different singers they loved to listen to.

Holidays were another main talking point. Although one client had never been abroad, she felt she was making up for it now with all the activities she was involved in! Another mentioned she used to have a house in Spain she would frequently go to, although “you do get sick of the sun eventually!”. Another used to have a boat on Loch Lomond that she and her partner used to go and spend weekends on (fully equipped with a bed and they brought real glasses and flowers so they could have a lovely dinner. 

The ladies all live alone and they were saying how it is so boring to just cook for yourself, although Sainsbury’s has some handy recipe cards if you are ever in need of inspiration. This led on to talking about supermarket preferences and how we all love the smell of the bakery as you walk into Lidl. 

Midday flew in before we knew it and everyone reluctantly said goodbye, however, they will hopefully see each other soon at a virtual event or another in-person coffee morning (or perhaps a visit to a museum.

It was such a wonderful event and so fantastic to see how easily the ladies all connected – everyone left with a big smile on their faces.

If you would like to get involved in volunteering at our next in-person activity, please email Connie (connie@befriend.org.uk)