ON December 14, 24 pensioners met at Central Methodist Church in high expectations for their Christmas luncheon party, which in effect would be their last supper at the church.

For more than 25 years, the church has been the venue for a weekly luncheon and social occasion, a service to the community for senior citizens. But the service has deteriorated from over 30, now down to a dozen and falling.

The hot meals, supplied by courtesy of the council from kitchens at Fordlands, have also deteriorated. There is no menu now. Another six Methodist churches are also struggling to provide a service for pensioners. Two course meals are at a unit cost of £1.95 like it or not.

The Christmas lunch was duly delivered - but as frozen turkey. The church volunteers who serve it were aghast and flabbergasted. Luckily facilities were there for the meals to be heated up and served to the disappointed pensioners, with apologies.

Where was the 'best value' of which the caring council boasts? Where was the spokesman at Fordlands to complain to? Where was the seasonal goodwill or apologies?

What a sad seasonal end for these pensioners, who had expected a hot Christmas lunch for their final farewell party. Pensioners were not on the council's menu that day.

A sad day too for the church, which after 25 years, says bye-bye to its luncheon club. A church which one recalls as a wartime canteen served thousands of meals to the three services in and around the city, seven days a week.

David Hughes,

Central Methodist Church,

St Saviourgate, York.