As villagers in the South Gloucestershire village of Tytherington prepare to celebrate the first anniversary of the launch of its lunch club for older residents in July, a local housebuilder has stepped in to pay for new equipment needed to cater for the growing numbers who attend.

‘We now cook for more than 40 Tytherington residents who welcome this opportunity to socialise while enjoying a good two-course meal at the same time,’ reports Sue Grey, organiser of the monthly Village Hall lunches.

Sue, who has lived in the village for 44 years, explains: ‘We have used some of our own pots and pans until now but the time has come to buy more new equipment in view of the numbers we serve.’

She paid a tribute to Cotswold Homes which is building new homes in the village: ‘We were thrilled to learn that, when the firm heard about our plans, it lost no time in stepping forward to contribute £250 towards the cost of the items we have to buy.’

The development – named The Paddocks – occupies what the company’s sales and marketing director, Terri Hayes-Pugh, describes as ‘a countryside haven at the heart of the village.’

She revealed that people living locally are at the forefront of those expressing interest in the two-bedroom bungalows and three- and four-bedroom high-specification detached family homes currently taking shape.

The new homes, designed externally to reflect the local style of existing homes in Tytherington, feature imaginative and spacious internal layouts.

Terri predicts that her firm’s no-hidden-extras policy will play a key role in attracting more would-be buyers.

She said: ‘We offer great value for money; our purchase price includes integrated appliances – oven, hob with a feature hood, fridge-freezer, washer-drier and integrated dishwasher – as well as contemporary vinyl flooring in some areas of the home.’