A NEW lunch club has been launched in Sandford-on-Thames near Oxford.

The Talking Lunch social group meets every month at the village hall and at the second meeting last Wednesday more than 20 diners enjoyed a turkey casserole.

The activity, a spin-off of the Saturday market Talking Shop, is part of an effort to make more use of the village hall ahead of a £500,000 revamp.

Organiser Sarah Adair, 37, said: “We wanted to set up a lunch club to develop a social network and so that people can have a nutritious meal.”

She said the club was open to anyone in the area and is not just for the elderly, adding: “We can get anyone who is isolated out of the house, meeting people.”

A total of 35 people came to the first lunch and 23 to the second. Eighteen people have signed on as members, getting meals for £5 instead of £6.50.