A lunch club for residents in Braddan has been formed to battle loneliness in the area.

The club is called the Braddan Lunch Club Isle of Man and is completely self-funded.

Natacha Jones, who set up the club, moved to the parish in December and noticed that many of her neighbours didn’t have any family or friends to rely on for social interaction.

The 28-year-old said: ’My nan lives in Glen Vine and, after becoming a widow, really enjoys attending their monthly luncheons.

’After seeing how much she gets out of the club, I wanted to investigate whether Braddan had anything similar and found they didn’t.’

The club is for lonely and vulnerable residents of Braddan to attend, play games and socialise with people they may not have met before.

Natacha added: ’Everyone who lives in Braddan is most welcome to attend, to have a care-free time, get well fed, make new friends, catch up with old friends, and just have a reason to leave the house and get some fresh air.’

Currently the gatherings will be held quarterly.

Leftover food will be donated to Gria, the homeless shelter.

The first meeting will be held on June 28 at the Memorial Hall in Union Mills.