Volunteers ready to dish up free Christmas Day meal in Sudbury for people dealing with isolation or financial hardship

For more than a decade, a team of dedicated volunteers in Sudbury have devoted Christmas Day to spreading festive cheer in the community.

Designed to combat loneliness, the Sudbury Community Christmas Lunch provides a free traditional meal for people who suffer from isolation or struggle financially over the festive season.

In 2005, organisers of a soup kitchen treated its users to a Christmas dinner, which prompted Teresa Bishop, manager of The Christopher Centre, to continue the gesture each year with the support of devoted volunteers.

“Isolation is the biggest poverty,” she said. “You can have someone who is a millionaire and feel isolated, so our doors are open to everybody.”

The first year that the event was organised, a large number of teenagers attended.

“We had a lot of people under 16 sleeping rough or sofa surfing,” said Mrs Bishop. “When we opened on Boxing Day, there were a lot of youngsters who didn’t have anywhere to go.”

Ensuring visitors are provided with key support plays an important part of the volunteer’s role.

“If people come to us on Christmas Day, and they’ve just come into Sudbury, or they’re local, we don’t just cut them off at Christmas,” said Mrs Bishop, adding that the event enables the centre to share details of various support groups it runs.

“It also gives us the opportunity to let them know what’s going on throughout the year.”

A 96-year-old woman from Long Melford, who had attended the event for 12 years, died this year.

“She was such a lovely woman,” said Mrs Bishop. “She would always send a letter to say how much she had enjoyed it.”

Praising the social benefits of the event, Mrs Bishop said it brought people of different ages and backgrounds together.

She said elderly visitors often had fascinating stories to share, which provided an interesting insight for the younger generation.

“They always have life experiences to tell and they have interesting things to talk about,” she said.

Businesses and individuals in the community have continued to support the event over the years by providing donations.

“We always start off with nothing and pray that the funds will come in,” said Mrs Bishop, whose husband, Gregory, joins the team of volunteers each year.

Staged at the Masonic Hall in North Street from 12.30pm, the team will be serving three turkeys with two joints of beef, while providing vegetarian options.

The group is happy to accommodate people with special dietary requirements.

A shuttle service is being provided by GoStart Community Transport, courtesy of Sudbury Rotary Club, which has funded the service.

People who are housebound, or have limited mobility, have the option of having their Christmas meal delivered.

“Our volunteers will dish it up and make sure the person is cared for,” said Mrs Bishop.

After tucking into dinner, visitors are treated to dessert, before receiving a present and joining in with traditional Christmas carols.

She added: “It’s just like one big extended family, so it’s great.”