The first hot meals were served to the housebound elderly of Hassocks in 1964. From then until today the charity, which later became Age Concern Hassocks, has maintained an unbroken continuous lunch service as a core activity. It currently serves three-course hot meals, with a choice of dishes, on all weekdays. Festive menus are also provided at Christmas and on other special occasions.

Until last year, transport to and from the ‘Pauline Thaw Centre’ was provided by volunteer drivers in their own cars. However due to retirement and ever increasing motoring costs
the service could not be sustained. The decision was made to purchase a £30,000, 12 seater
minibus with specially lowered steps, a wheelchair lift and sliding rear seats to accommodate the wheelchairs. ACH gave a presentation to the BHDLC welfare committee early in 2014. This resulted in Lion Christine Muschamp and her committee recommending that BDHLC should donate the remaining 50% of the funds still needed to purchase the bus.

Thanks to the generosity of BHDLC, Age Concern members, The Lottery Fund and Hassocks Parish Council, sufficient funds were raised and the new bus was officially launched on 6th Dec, 2014. Intended primarily for the transport of Lunch Club members, this bus will enable ACH to maintain this essential service into the future.
Past support and assistance to ACH has included holding Bingo sessions, new tables and chairs for their meeting room, replacement of kitchen furniture, the provision of a Chiropodists’ chair and the fitting out of a Hairdressing Salon. The raising of funds for this last venture was undertaken in a novel way by Lion Norman Evenden offering to provide Sunday lunches for those members of the public willing to sample his cooking!