The traditional free Christmas Day Lunch and celebration for those alone on Christmas Day sadly was cancelled the week before Christmas, as it was the belief that Omicron compromised the safety of guests with over 60 households getting together.
The Lunch continued undeterred, however, as Zena of Zena’s Top Nosh produced a wonderful two-course chilled Christmas Day Lunch which volunteers delivered along with Christmas presents and a hamper to the 47 guests that had booked.
Stan Foster, who organises the entire event, said: “It was a really hard and heart-breaking decision to make as the entire purpose of the event is to bring people together rather than being alone on Christmas Day. Many of the guests are in the ‘vulnerable’ category and their wellbeing is paramount, which is why we took the decision to deliver the meals to their home. It wasn’t what we wanted for them but felt it was by far the safest course of action.”
In addition to their lunch and Christmas presents this year, guests also received a hamper thanks to the generosity of ACIS, Blues Club Entertainment, Cliff Bradley and Sons, Francis Barker Charity, Gainsborough Lions Club, Hunters Estate Agents, Laughton WI, Local WI and Church groups organised and distributed by Val Strawson, MWE Decor, Morton Tea Dance, Morrisons, Noble Foods, Tesco, The Rotary Club of Gainsborough, Unite Union, WEFCO Employees and private individuals who donated either goods, money to cover costs or gifts for the guests, allowing all to be provided completely free of charge. A huge thank you to all.
Because of this amazing generosity, an additional Sunday Lunch event is planned in spring for those guests who had booked and were sadly disappointed.
With such support this tradition of ensuring people need not be on their own on Christmas Day will continue for many years to come.
Special appreciation must go to the volunteers who gave up their valuable time to make up the hampers, to deliver the meals and goodies and chat with the guests; none of this would have been possible without them. This includes the Major of Gainsborough, Richard Craig, also volunteered and kindly delivered meals to the guests.
Many thanks must also go to the Blues Club for their support and allowing use of their facilities, to Community Wheels Gainsborough for their support and assistance and to Gainsborough Life for helping to promote the event.
Let’s hope that 2022 will see a return to normality and that no-one in Gainsborough and district need be alone on Christmas Day.