There has been a group of volunteers providing monthly afternoon teas to older people in Bexhill-on-Sea since 2000 and previously this operated as part of a national charity.  In September 2020, the group changed its name to The Friends of Lossie Long and is now an independent charitable organisation. To learn more about Lossie Long, please see below.  We work in partnership with St Stephen's Church and we are very appreciative of the continuing support of the Reverend Kev and Melanie Robinson and of the whole Church Community.  Whereas previously, teas were held in volunteers’ homes, our events now take place in the Church Hall at St. Stephen’s and this has enabled us to expand our reach and to have more guests.  

During the COVID pandemic, the teas were suspended and with the help of our wonderful team of volunteers, we made weekly deliveries of food to our guests and others self isolating in the Community.  In the period from March 2020 until June 2021 we delivered 1,200 meals including afternoon teas, Ploughman’s Lunches, Quiche Lunches and Cooked Lunches comprising a main course and dessert.  Also, once a month and in partnership with Athena’s Fish and Chip Shop in Western Road, Bexhill, we delivered a Fish and Chip dinner.   We know from our guests - all of whom were isolating and several were classed as extremely medically vulnerable - that it was not only the food which was important but the contact with our volunteer drivers, as for some, this was the only person they had any face to face contact with during the long months of lockdown.  Our volunteers also helped guests with their shopping, collecting prescriptions and driving them to hospital appointments etc.  Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of our volunteer drivers, cooks and bakers as well as the generosity of our donors.