Celebrating Palentine's Week with chippy teas

Please note: this post is 34 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

We offered older and younger neighbours the chance to celebrate their friendships this Valentine’s - or should we say Palentine’s - Week in the best way we know how - over a chippy tea from their local chip shop.

A huge thank you to the wonderful people at The Hip Hop Chip Shop and The Chippy on Burton Road (two Manchester Cares favourites), and other local chippies from Moss Side to Fallowfield. We really appreciate you providing delicious chippy teas for our neighbours.

We wanted to share stories with you from just some of our chippy-loving Love Your Neighbour matches. 

​“I really enjoy catching up with Charles - it’s one of the highlights of my week”

Hannah (28) and Charles (70) first started getting to know each other over the phone back in April 2020. Through lockdown, they kept each other entertained by writing poems about what they were looking forward to doing once restrictions lifted, sharing stories from their travels, and swapping song recommendations (Charles is a regular at our Desert Island Discs Social Club). 

Due to the pandemic, the pair only met for the first time in November last year, when they went to an art fair in Ancoats, and finished their day out with a visit to the Hip Hop Chip Shop. They're looking forward to catching up over a chippy tea again very soon!

"We like the same detective programmes, and we like fish and chips!"

Susan (70) and Sophie (24) are one of the newer matches on our Love Your Neighbour programme, and met in person for the first time last week, when they shared a takeaway from their local chippy. The pals have been getting to know each and enjoy talking about their families and what’s going on in the news. They’re planning to catch up again soon over a coffee.

Pals Gloria (71) and Rheanne (30) have spent a total of 18 hours chatting on the phone and catching up in person. They are both passionate about food and drink, so a Palentine’s trip to The Chippy on Burton Road was the perfect excuse to have a meal together. The first time the pair met in person was in November 2021, when they went shopping at Hulme Market. Rheanne told us: “It reminded me of going shopping with my nan in the Bullring when I was younger. Gloria was teaching me how to spot the bargains and pick the correct vegetable to make Saturday soup, a traditional Jamaican soup. It was really fun!”

“Their company has really helped me get through the past year.”

Older neighbour Marjorie (89) enjoys hanging out with her friends Leah and Fern (both 26), who she was first introduced to back in 2019. The trio love to chat about books they’re reading, holidays they’ve been on, and Marjorie’s home renovations. During lockdown, they had socially-distanced chats across the garden, and even celebrated Marjorie’s birthday from her doorstep with a sing-song, cake and flowers. They enjoyed catching up over a chippy tea in Ancoats last week, and Marjorie invited Leah and Fern to her upcoming 90th birthday party, which will really be something to celebrate!