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“I’ve lived here for thirty three years, nineteen of them in Ancoats and about fourteen in Miles Platting,” said Lucy Smith. Lucy is the caretaker at Trinity Centre, Butler Street and a familiar face to many people. She’s a shy, always busy person, not given to blowing her own trumpet. Earlier, she’d put two turkeys in the oven at Trinity, “There’s a party tomorrow for a pensioners’ group,” and then sat down to talk to us. Getting Lucy to talk about herself is like prising open an oyster!

“We used to do the lunch club for old folks for twelve years, till the local shops closed down and there was nowhere close to buy the stuff from. There’s about twelve of us, active volunteers. We’ve been doing it for so long, we’re all pensioners ourselves now!”

Lucy has many roles and interests connected with Trinity Methodist Church. She’s the church council secretary and church steward, she’s secretary of the Friendship Club and the Credit Union, “About twelve of us began the credit union.” Lucy is also on the playgroup management committee and is chair of the east Manchester group of churches for the Women’s World Day of Prayer. And on top of all this, she is involved in the Sunday School. It doesn’t leave much time for other interests, we suggested. “I like watching TV and listening to music,” she replied.

One of Lucy’s best memories is when they took the tops off the maisonettes and made them into houses. A sad memory is when the shops went from Chippenham Road. “Queensberry Parade used to be good. Now, for many items, you’ve to go into town or up to Ashton.”

We left Lucy preparing to return to the turkeys. She would be cooking two more for the following Monday and then another five for Christmas Day, when seventy to eighty people come to Trinity Centre for their dinner and tea.