Together Against Loneliness: A Special Morning with Dave from Crane Authentication

We were delighted to welcome Dave Cooper from Crane Authentication to our Lunch Club this week. It was a wonderful opportunity to show first-hand the difference a recent grant of £4,302 from Crane Authentication will make possible, and to thank Dave for his kindness for nominating our charity to receive such a generous amount of funding.

Dave Cooper from Crane Authentication spent the morning with us, meeting our day centre attendees and team, and it was a great opportunity to thank him personally for nominating our charity for a grant.

Crane Authentication is a company that helps make sure products and documents are real and trustworthy. It works with both businesses and governments to provide security solutions across 15 countries on three continents. They recently announced a generous amount of funding support available to charities, and staff were invited to make nominations for causes close to their heart. Thanks to Dave's nomination, we were successful in being awarded over £4,000.

We have a range of activities available, from indoor sports to creative pursuits.

The morning's visit, on Tuesday 9th September 2025, began with introductions to our lunch club attendees, and our dedicated team, who work tirelessly to make our day centre on Bolam Street, Teams, such a welcoming and supportive place for local older people to stay connected and have a great day out. After joining in with some of the day’s activities, Dave also helped serve our freshly cooked, two-course meals.

We really enjoy visits such as this, so our supporters can experience the sense of friendship and togetherness that makes our lunch clubs and men's groups so special.

Enjoying conversations and companionship at the Tuesday lunch club.

The funding we receive will go towards our core costs, which ensures our groups can continue running week after week. By funding such essential costs, we can keep our doors open, the meals hot, and the atmosphere welcoming for everyone who joins us.

We’d like to thank Dave and Crane, not only for their generosity, but also for taking the time to spend the morning with us. Dave's visit was a lovely way to celebrate organisations and the community working together in reducing loneliness and creating a supportive space for older people.

If you or someone you know would like more information about the Teams and Bensham Community Care day centres, we're always happy to answer any questions, arrange a home visit or to help in any other way that we can. Call the team on 0191 4600297 any weekdays (excluding Bank Holidays) between 9am and 4pm.