Free Christmas day dinner on offer at church
A STOCKPORT church is once again throwing open its doors on Christmas day to anyone who would otherwise be spending the festive season alone.
Volunteers at Christ with All Saints’ Church in Heaton Norris will be cooking a full, four-course Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, and it is all completely free.
This is the fourth year the church has undertaken the task, and plenty of people take the opportunity to spend the day socialising with others, be it because they are alone, find the day difficult, or struggle to afford a Christmas dinner.
Jane Cawsey, who co-ordinates the meal, said: “We have been doing it since 2014. The first year we got about 25 people, then 44, and 36 last year. This year we have already got about 25 people signed up.
“When we started we did it because there were a few of us on our own and we realised there were other people in the same situation, so we decided to spend Christmas together.
“We were going to do it at one of our houses, but we quickly realised there were so many people interested that there would not be enough room.”
They asked the vicar at Christ with All Saints,’ Philip Waddington, if they could use the church hall, and when he said yes they decided to advertise it.
“People of all ages who live on their own come along, as well as single parents and families who don’t have enough money to afford a Christmas dinner,” Jane said.
“It is a real mixture of people, and it is great having some children there as it makes it feel that bit more festive.
“It is such a lovely atmosphere on the day. Last year we had a lady in her 90s who said it was the first time in as long as she could remember that she had been around children and other people on Christmas Day. “It is like a family.” Jane does all the shopping and cooking for the meal, and has three volunteers who help serve and wash up on the day – but she says the task is not as mammoth as it sounds.
“I am quite used to it,” she said. “I also do a monthly hotpot which is a similar sort of thing. It is something I got into doing a long time ago.
“I do get up very early on the day to cook the turkeys – I put them on and then go back to bed for a bit!
“We are trying to raise a bit of awareness of it. What we don’t want is someone sitting on their own if they are able to come to us.”
The meal is free but places need to be booked for catering purposes. Call Jane on 07875 774427.