Community Comes Together at Redruth Oddfellows Coffee Morning

The Redruth Oddfellows recently hosted a bustling open coffee morning that welcomed members, guests, and the general public to learn more about the Friendly Society. The event, hailed as one of their most successful gatherings, featured an array of homemade treats, valuable health information, and a lively quiz that brought people together in a welcoming and social atmosphere.

A Warm Welcome and Tasty Treats

Visitors enjoyed free teas and coffees with refills, paired with a delicious spread of homemade Victoria sponge, fruit cake, carrot cake, chocolate biscuits, and sweets. Attendees took the opportunity to socialise with members of the Oddfellows and get a better understanding of the group’s activities and offerings. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with one participant texting, “It’s been most enjoyable learning more about the Oddfellows. Everyone is so nice. So glad I joined.”

Community Health Advice and Support

The morning included a brief address from a representative of a local Community Health Team, who shared insights on available services and support options ahead of the winter months. Following this, a member of the Plymouth and Truro District Oddfellows Welfare Team introduced attendees to the Oddfellows’ resources, including support from the National Care & Welfare Team and a Members’ Only Advice Line, which provides valuable guidance to those in need.

Fun and Prizes

Guests were encouraged to join a table-top quiz and puzzle competition, adding a fun twist to the gathering. Twelve prizes were awarded, with the top prize going to the visiting speaker. The morning concluded with the distribution of information leaflets, free books, and take-home puzzle sheets, giving attendees further resources to explore.

“Never Without a Friend”

Tina English, Provincial Grand Master of the Plymouth and Truro District, expressed gratitude to the volunteers who made the event possible. “This was without doubt the most successful of our open coffee mornings to date,” said Tina, who assisted with refreshments throughout the morning. She added, “It was great to have a member of one of the local Community Health Teams attend and also to hear of all the benefits available to our members in times of need in addition to those provided by the public and charitable services. In these times, it is important to be up to date with such things.”

Encouraging community members to consider joining, Tina highlighted the value of membership, which starts at £25 per year. “As an Oddfellow, you are never without a friend or support in times of personal need, and that has been the case down the hundreds of years the Society has been around,” she said.

With branches across Plymouth, Truro, and Redruth, the Oddfellows offers a wide range of activities and support to members of all ages and backgrounds, continuing a tradition of community and care established in 1810.