Christmas dinners for all

Do you know someone who may be spending this Christmas alone, or want to help those who are?

Here is our round-up of local Christmas events for those who will be alone, homeless or who have fallen on hard times:

• Empire's free Springhill Hospice senior citizen Christmas party

Empire is hosting its annual free senior citizen Christmas party on Sunday 15 December.

The event takes place from 1-6pm at Empire, Packer Street in Rochdale. The venue has ground level access and contains a disabled toilet.

Empire's free Springhill Hospice senior citizen Christmas party aims to bring together people from the local community and other surrounding areas.

The event will be offering free hot and cold food, along with activities such as a super prize raffle, and tombola.

The annual event is funded by the owners of Empire, who have been supportive of the Springhill Hospice over the past three years. They have aided Springhill Hospice with raising thousands of pounds.

The current line-up for the event includes live performances from The BackBeats, Suzanne Hassett, Bradley Miller and Ste Leech. The performances will be hosted by John Swinden, Man of Rochdale 2018.

Donations for the Springhill Hospice will be collected throughout the event.

• PossAbilities Christmas dinner

PossAbilities, a Heywood-based social enterprise, will be hosting their annual Christmas dinner on Thursday 19 December at the Petrus Hub in Rochdale at 11.30am.

The dinner offers an opportunity for people not to be lonely during the festive season such as those who are homeless.

This year, PossAbilities will donate gifts to a women and children’s refuge.

Rachel Law, the chief executive at PossAbilities, found out through Facebook that 350 children in Rochdale would not receive a gift this year.

She said: “I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I cried all night. So, we have also filled 100 plastic lunch boxes with goodies for the children and some special ones which will be distributed to a women’s refuge.

“We love serving the Christmas dinner. Lots of our staff volunteer for this and it adds to the work we do across the community as well as being lots of fun.

“You don’t need a ticket to come, just turn up at the Hub and we will look after you.”

• Angie’s Angels community group Christmas dinner

This year, Angie’s Angels community group will be hosting their third Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for people who are homeless or struggling.

The Christmas dinner is going to be held at the Step project night stop emergency hostel run by Sanctuary Trust, served between 12noon-2pm on Christmas Day.

People who are struggling are also welcome to come and collect a Christmas dinner to take away.

• Empowering Minds and #TheArmyOfKindness Christmas Meal

Empowering Minds and #TheArmyOfKindness will be hosting their fourth annual Christmas meal at St Andrew’s Church in Rochdale on Christmas Day.

At the event, there will be hot meals and drinks, as well as activities such as pass the parcel, Christmas carols and a visit from Santa.

The purpose of this event is to provide anyone who is lonely, homeless or isolated with a meal on Christmas day.

They are also offering a ‘meals on wheels’ service for anyone who wants to pre-order a delivery meal. The last day to book delivery meals will be Friday 20 December.

The charities call for any organisation that would like to set up a stall or participate in the funding to get in contact. The charities welcome volunteers as long as they are registered prior to the event.

Gift boxes including essentials such as hats, gloves and clothes will be provided in the welcome box.

Haircuts and nail services will also be offered at the event.

For booking information, contact Sheraz on 07940 470705.

• Thrum Hall Church

Every year, for the past 40+ years, the church has held a Christmas Day party for elderly people who would otherwise spend Christmas Day on their own. This is a completely free three-course Christmas dinner followed by tea/coffee and chocolates. 

This year the event is organised by Leanne Grindrod after being organised by Marilyn Jones in previous years.

Part of the service includes picking people up and dropping them home again after the party. The party starts at 12.30pm and finishes around 3pm. There will be carol singing as everyone arrives and then dinner will be served at 1pm. People coming to the party will be picked up between 12 and 12.30 pm and each person will be informed of the person collecting them. 

A hot Christmas dinner can also be provided at home, accompanied by a mince pie and box of chocolates, for anyone who will be alone on Christmas Day. This includes the elderly and any persons within the care system.  

Volunteers will deliver the meal and stay and chat for 20 minutes just so that that person has had some physical contact with someone on Christmas Day.

Anyone wishing to have a meal delivered will receive their meal between 12pm and 1pm.

If you know of anyone who will be spending Christmas Day on their own, without family or friends and a hot Christmas meal, please contact Leanne via email as soon as possible, so the church has an idea of how many people are being catering for. 

Volunteers are also required to help drop people off, pick people up or deliver meals.

Email Leanne for further information: leannecgrindrod@hotmail.com

• Our Lady and St. Joseph's Parish, Heywood

Our Lady and St. Joseph's Parish, Heywood, will again this year host Christmas dinner on the day itself for anyone who will be on their own.

In addition, the church hopes to offer a Christmas dinner meals on wheels whereby Christmas dinner can be delivered to any of the housebound who would rather stay at home.