Around 100 older people and dignitaries went to the cinema last month to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of Age Concern Crosby.  The local charity, which started in 1952 under the banner of Old Peoples' Welfare, has provided more than 10,000 meals at its lunch clubs for local older people. 

Re-engage now run the Wednesday lunch club and  a free monthly film screening, flicks and friends, at the art deco Plaza Community Cinema in Waterloo.  Older people living in the area are also able to enjoy monthly tea parties and the support of a call companion. 

The December flicks and friends screening was combined with the anniversary celebration and we welcomed guest of honour the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Clare Carragher. 

After praising the two charities for their sterling work, the Mayor presented certificates to volunteers who help at lunch clubs and at the cinema, which was opened in 1939 and is the only remaining cinema in Crosby. 

When the first lunch clubs were introduced, one was dedicated to the housebound who couldn't travel independently. The specially adapted minibus is still used to transport less mobile diners to the Wednesday club at the Waterloo United Free Church hall, across the road from the cinema. 

Those attending the anniversary celebrations included El Taylor-Jenks, head of community engagement at Re-engage and Jane Daly, formerly of Age Concern Crosby, who said : "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to have been a trustee and volunteer at Age Concern Crosby for more than a decade and to see the organisation, now in its 70^th year, pass into the safe hands and stewardship of Re-engage, which is continuing the aims and ethos of looking after the social welfare of older people of Crosby and district. 

 "We have all been delighted with the continuing success of flicks and friends, which started from a desire to reach out to more older people in the area than our lunch clubs would allow.

"The anniversary party was a great success bringing together former trustees, lunch club leaders and volunteers with the current team." 

The older people and guests saw a colour version of White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, and enjoyed a buffet lunch and a singalong. 

Helen Shortall, engagement officer for Re-engage, which is dedicated to ending loneliness and isolation for those aged 75 and over, said: "The lunch club has been phenomenally successful over all these years, bringing older people together for a good meal and lots of friendly chat. 

"Flicks and friends is also very popular. Before the Covid restrictions there were sometimes around 400 older people coming along and that's a target we would like to reach again. We try to screen current films that will appeal to the audience and they appreciate that. When we showed Elvis everyone was singing along. The cinema was buzzing with a great atmosphere."