Festive lunch team thanked

A CYNON Valley vicar has thanked volunteers whose efforts prevented 65 local people from spending Christmas Day alone.

For the second consecutive year on December 25, volunteers put on a festive event for people who would have otherwise spent the day on their own – and guests were treated to Christmas dinner, musical entertainment, presents from Father Christmas and the Queen’s speech at 3pm.

The event took place at the community hall at St Fagan’s Church in Trecynon, just as it did for the first event of its kind 12 months earlier.

A whole host of people helped in some way with local businesses donating a variety of items – while volunteers had been meeting since September to make preparations for the big day.

And Father Richard Green, the vicar of Aberdare St Fagan’s, has thanked everyone who made it possible.

He said: “It was brilliant – all the organisation seemed to go really well and the volunteers all played their own roles.

“It was fantastic to see everyone coming together to be a part of it. I had a letter from somebody who lives alone, and said she had the best Christmas in 10 years [having been a part of the event]. That was really touching, that people have taken the trouble to thank us afterwards.

“We had a core group of organisers who helped set out the structure of it – and then there was everybody who helped out. all at different times, doing what they could.”

And, the event is set to become a fixture of the calender in the Cynon Valley.

When asked about whether the event will return for Christmas 2017, Fr Green added: “We certainly hope so. Come September we shall be starting preparations all over again!”