Thrum Hall Methodist Church Christmas Day Dinner

Date published: 25 December 2016

Thrum Hall Methodist Church hosted its annual Christmas Day Dinner, for people who would otherwise be on their own and the homeless.

Thirty people enjoyed a sumptuous four-course meal and good company. A further 140 meals were sent out from the Thrum Hall kitchen to people in their own homes, plus two hostels and one homeless man on Oldham Road, who cried saying "you've made my Christmas".

The church has been hosting a Christmas Day meal for over 40 years and one of the organisers, Marilyn Jones, said they did so because "we all enjoy it" and to "help fulfil the Christmas message".

She added: "Our volunteers and guests are like one big family. Christmas wouldn't be the same if we didn't have this to do. We would all be lost."

Marie Edge and her son Nathan went along to help again at this year’s Christmas Day Lunch.

Marie said: “Nathan enjoyed it again and got to give out presents to all the guests.”

The party was started by the Thrum Hall youth group, who were in their early teens at the time, 43 years ago. Many of them have been involved with the event ever since and it has very much become part of the church year, with generations of church family members donating time and gifts.