Free Christmas lunch planned in Shoreham for anyone spending the day alone

A free Christmas lunch will be held in Shoreham for anyone who would otherwise spend the day alone.
The free Christmas lunch at the Shoreham Centre last yearThe free Christmas lunch at the Shoreham Centre last year
The free Christmas lunch at the Shoreham Centre last year

There are 70 free tickets available for the lunch on Tuesday, December 25, at the Shoreham Centre in Pond Road.

Preparations are already underway for the event, which is aimed at resident of any age who would like some company at Christmas.

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Janice Roberts, trustee for Shoreham Community Trust, has outlined what is still required to make the event a success.

The most pressing need is for a chef on Christmas Day.

Janice said: “There will be lots of help in the kitchen for the chef and we can prepare all the vegetables, potatoes etc on Christmas Eve, so it won’t be manic in the kitchen Christmas Day.”

She would also like to hear from any groups which would be willing to entertain the guests from midday to 12.45pm for a sing-a-long.

Around 20 volunteers will be needed for the lunch – depending on whether people are able to help out all day, from 11am to 4pm, or just for an hour or two.

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“We are very happy for people to come for just a couple of hours or even just half an hour, there is always a job that we can find people to do,” Janice said.

Volunteers will also be needed to help out before the event.

This will involve wrapping Christmas gifts, preparing the room with decorations, a Christmas tree, setting out and laying tables and preparing food in the kitchen.

Janice added: “We have had couple of parents contact us and ask if they can bring their children also to help prepare on Christmas Eve, and yes of course this helps children to understand they are helping someone else to have a wonderful Christmas.”

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Janice and the other organisers are also calling for donations for the day.

While they already have most of the Christmas tree gift donations, they are still in need of sweets for the dinner table, after eights or mints, Christmas crackers, mince pies, napkins, disposable Christmas table clothes, wine and soft drinks and Christmas cakes.

Cash donations and offers of transportation to pick people up and drop them off at the end of the day are also appreciated.

Any businesses that could donate extra crockery such as plates and bowls are being asked to get in touch.

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Janice said: “We will be looking for turkeys or turkey breast rolled, which is a big ask for free, but if there is a business that could do us a really good deal to purchase some we would love to hear from them.

“We are approaching the local supermarkets to donate other items from our list.”

For more information or tickets for the event, contact the Shoreham Centre on 01273 454686 or [email protected]

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