There’s good news coming out of the Men’s Pie Club kitchen this month, with the organisation awarded £5,000 through the Lakes & Dales Co-op Member Choice Award, a timely boost that’s helping new clubs move from proposal to pie creation.
The funding will be used to help roll out new Men’s Pie Clubs, with Stanhope next in line and Newbiggin also on the menu. Each new club brings the same simple recipe: good food, good company, and a space where men can turn up, roll their sleeves up, and feel welcome.
Chris Smith, Programme Manager at Men’s Pie Club, said: “We are over the moon to win the Member Choice Award. The money will make a big difference and will allow us to get new clubs up and running. We are hoping to start a new pie club in Stanhope and potentially also Newbiggin. I’d really encourage other community groups to put themselves forward too, it’s a brilliant initiative that genuinely helps grassroots projects get going.”
The Lakes & Dales Member Choice Award is a community funding programme. Lakes & Dales Co-op members earn votes when they shop and use them to back causes that matter to them, helping direct funding to projects across Cumbria, Weardale and Northumberland that bring people together and strengthen local life.
For Men’s Pie Club, the award will help to cover the practical bits that make clubs possible: equipment, ingredients, and the support needed to get a group established and sustainable.
Men’s Pie Clubs run across Northumberland, Durham and North Tyneside creating relaxed, no-pressure spaces for men who may be isolated, lonely, or simply in need of a regular place to belong. There’s no fixing, no lectures, and no expectation beyond showing up — everything else happens naturally around the table.
With this latest award, more pie machines and kettles will be switched on, more pies shared, and more men invited to take a seat.
Community groups and charities can apply for Lakes & Dales Co-op funding by completing a single online application form www.lakesanddales.coop/
