FOR 40 years award-winning volunteer Joan Elsby has cooked up a winning formula for pensioners -- hot meals, trips and companionship.

Next week a triple celebration will mark Joan's 80th birthday, her four decades as an organiser and Astley Luncheon Club's 30th anniversary.

Mayor Cllr John Hilton will attend the milestone event next Wednesday in the Pensioners' Centre at Blackmoor and other guests include Joan's first waitress volunteer Annie Knowles. At 94 Annie still attends enjoying the company of helpers Jean Allen (25 years service) Pat Harrison, Margaret Yates and Delia Kitchener (over 20 years).

Happy band

Now secretary-organiser Joan is appealing for new members and volunteers to join the happy band who meet each Wednesday at Manchester Road.

She said: 'We would love more people to come and join us as members and helpers. The food is not exactly Loyd Grosman, but anyone fed-up of dining alone should come along.

"We don't just offer meals we also go out on trips and to the theatre and have a really good time."

Joan, a former Leigh Soroptimists' Woman of the Year, who has also been honoured by Rotary, began her voluntary work in 1962. She helped establish Tyldesley Luncheon Club and for 10 years Joan cooked all the meals for the weekly club at home.

She was asked to start a similar club in Astley which proved an immediate success and at one time Joan was cooking 50 meals for each club, a task she continued from home until 1982.

She said: "To be honest the last thing people came to the club for was the food, it was more the chance to get together and have a chat and a good time.

"People have told me I should be slowing down, but I would only be sat at home, so I might as well stay involved.

"I have a team of six and it could not have been a success without them."

Cllr John O'Neill, one of Wigan's champions for older people, congratulated Joan: "Her dedication is inspirational. She has obviously brought a lot of happiness to older people over the years.

"I wish her every success for the future."