These lunch clubs offer amazing deals to help battle the cost-of-living crisis – there’s not one to miss!
Hackney has a vibrant network of lunch clubs that offer a whole host of activities alongside their regular meals. They offer free and discounted food, which can be vital for residents struggling during the cost-of-living crisis.
These clubs create a great opportunity for those aged 55 and over to socialise, make friends, and feel like they are part of the community. As well as providing nutritious meals, these clubs provide health and wellbeing sessions, fitness classes and support with services such as paying utility bills and filling out paperwork.
Hackney Lunch Clubs Network is made up of 12 different groups and receives support from the Borough of Hackney, helping to provide companionship for the older members of the community.
Here is our list of the top six clubs in the area:
Nightingale Luncheon Club Â
The Nightingale Luncheon Club hosts lunch every Monday to Friday from just £4 for two courses. People can pay £20 for an annual membership. As well as daily meals, the club also holds regular coffee mornings, bingo afternoons, exercise classes and board game sessions. Professional hairdressers often visit the club and offer haircuts from £5 for men and £10 for women.
Find them here – 19 Olympus Square, Nightingale Estate, Hackney, E5 8PL Â
Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation Â
The Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation offers lunch on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The club has an annual membership of £15, or people can pay £5 for a lunchtime meal. A group of volunteers cook the meals on site and help out with arts and crafts, music therapy and health talks. The Organisation also offers a Dementia Memory Group for people dealing with the early stages of the condition.
Find them here – 39 Leswin Road, Stoke Newington, N16 7NX
North London Muslim Community Centre Â
The North London Muslim Community Centre provides lunch on Wednesdays or Tuesdays every week depending on your gender, and the cost of the meals are covered by an annual membership fee of £100. They run sessions on Tuesday 1.45-4pm in the summer or 1.15- 3.30pm in the winter, for men. For the women only group it is Wednesday, 1-3pm. The club prevents social isolation, promotes independent living, and provides healthy meals and cultural activities for its members. The Centre also helps Hackney residents with accessing whatever community services they may need.
Find them here – 66-68 Cazenove Road, N16 6AAÂ
Centre 151 – VLC Pho Club  Â
Centre 151 is a community centre for Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian communities that hosts the Pho lunch club twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The centre offers a traditional Vietnamese meal at £5 for members and £7 for non-members. They also offer an annual membership for £10. This lunch club aims to create an opportunity for Hackney residents to meet new people. It also offers other activities include Tai Chi classes and health talks from specialists.
Find them here – 151 Whiston Road, E2 8GU
Holly Street Luncheon Club Â
The Holly Street Luncheon Club offers a weekly membership of just £1, which allows you to access lunch meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for £4.50 per meal. The sessions run from 12.30-2.00pm and provide hot meals to the attendees. The sessions help to reduce social isolation and loneliness for older members of the community.
Find them here – Marie Lloyd Centre, 329-331 Queensbridge Road, E8 3LA
Hackney Cypriot Association Â
The Hackney Cypriot Association offers lunch from Tuesday to Friday every week. The sessions are held from 12.00-2.00pm and lunch is provided for £5. The club also holds exercise classes on Fridays at 11.00am.
Find here – 5 Balls Pond Road, N1 4AX
There are many other clubs in Hackney that are not part of the official Hackney Lunch Clubs Network that are still worth a visit. One of these is the Irish Elders Lunch Club. They are hosting a special St Patrick’s Day lunch on Thursday 21st March and their pensioners choir are performing at the Mayor of London’s St Patrick’s Day Festival in Trafalgar Square this Sunday (17th March) at midday.
