A hub in Saltcoats offers games, free refreshments, and friendship, helping to combat loneliness in the community.
The hub opens Thursdays from 11 AM to 2 PM. Locals find it great to avoid loneliness, and people of all ages visit. Volunteers run the hub.
Puzzles and games are available for everyone. They also have pool and table tennis, but meeting people and making friends matters most.
Douglas Crabb is the lead pastor there. He wants a community space where anyone can drop in anytime. They started the hub during the fuel crisis and have kept it going since then.
People can chat together, and it is great for them, said Douglas. He likes hearing people’s stories, and they talk about their lives and travels.
Visitors waited for soup and chatted, saying the hub made a difference. One woman loves the fun, saying every week feels different to her. She likes jigsaws and talking to friends.
After lunch, she might play board games. A man visits the hub every week for the chat and pool. He has gone since it began, as some people want to get out and meet others.
The soup and coffee are very good too, and he has enjoyed all soups in three years. The soup is popular, and volunteers make tasty recipes by turns.
Another person said it makes a big difference, showing community spirit there. Some people have visited for over a year now.
New people arrive all the time too. A local walking group stops by for soup or coffee. Numbers are growing there, and the atmosphere is very good. You can be sure to have a warm welcome.