Colin Herron

nationwide

Community

Christmas campaign, giving older people the chance of having company on Christmas Day.

Caroline, 57, of Newbury, Berks, first volunteered in 2007 to drive elderly people to a Christmas Day lunch.

She said: “On the way, they were really nervous around each other but when I took them home I couldn’t get a word in edgeways and they were making plans to meet up again.” Caroline has

found that a Community Christmas lunch can be a way to form friendships that can last through the year.

It is often the case that people who attend have not spoken to another person for a week.

She said: “One woman had spent Christmas on her own for 35 years and she was so excited about picking out an outfit for our Christmas Day lunch.

“Another man hadn’t had a Christmas present in so long that he wrapped up an empty box and put it under his tree, ee, just so he’d have somemething to open. Volunteering teering means so much to o me that I usually celebrate Christmas with my own family on Boxing Day.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on Christmas Day.” For the past eight Christmas Days, engineer Colin has volunteered with the homeless at Newcastle’s People’s Kitchen.

He said: “I’m not giving up my Christmas Day – this is part of my d day. We are a su surrogate family to t these people, who often have nobody. We are waiters and waitresses for the day, serving a three-course meal followed by teas and coffees.”

Colin, 62, of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, said they also raffle donated gifts and each person is given a shoebox of presents to take home.

He said: “Christmas is a really upsetting time of year for some of these people who don’t feel like