Village wins awards thanks to pub's generosity

A pub has helped its village win an award after providing meals-on-wheels for the community's elderly residents.

Gayna Barry, landlady of the Flying Horse in Smarden, Kent, prepares up to 16 two-course meals on weekdays charging just £3.50 a head.

The meals are part of Smarden's Good Neighbour Scheme, which sees the Shepherd Neame pub take over the service which is usually provided by a local school during term time.

Gayna, who cooks all the food herself, said: "People can choose between two main courses, such as a roast or liver and bacon and have a pudding or fruit for dessert. We don't make any money out of it - it's for the good of the community. The meals use local produce and can be chosen in advance from a weekly menu."

Gayna and husband Gerard, both 37, came to the Flying Horse four years ago. Gerard has been in the licensed trade all his working life but Gayna used to work in banking.

"We try to support village life with charity nights, by employing local people and by sourcing the ingredients of our pub food as locally as possible," said Gayna.

The Good Neighbour Scheme is one of the reasons why Smarden was judged Kent Village of the Year 2007-2008 and then went on to be South of England Village of the Year and is now one of five villages in the all-England final.