Christmas Day Lunch Guests Comments

We asked some of our ‘regular guests’ what it would mean to them if we couldn’t organise the event this year.

​

“Your Christmas Day Lunch is now part of life, we look forward t it so much every year not only for the food but meeting old and new friends. We’ve been coming for last 4 years and without it we don’t know what we would and we can’t afford to go out and pay for a meal”.
Source: Anonymous pensioners from Derby

​

Both I and my friend look forward to your Christmas Day Lunch. We both live alone in warden controlled accommodation and meeting up with old friends and have a good time is what makes Christmas for us. The food is always great and the fact that we get picked up and dropped off home makes it even better. Without you we don’t know what we would do on Christmas Day.
Source: John and Vanessa, both with mental health conditions from Derby.

​

As a LAC (Local Area Co-ordinator) for the past four years we have looked to Derby in Need to find somewhere for our loneliest residents to go on Christmas Day. For years we have tried to find somewhere without paying the high prices on Christmas Day in a pub plus there is cost and availability of staffing to ensure our resident is accompanied. What we have found over the years we have sent people to you is the people always have a good meal, a good time, meet new friends and for some the best bit is being collected and dropped home afterwards. Due to COVID-19 we have had higher demand this year for company, be it, simply extending carer times in home or expanding our services to include shopping.
We are already planning the effect that COVID will have this Christmas and feel that without your Christmas Day Lunch more of our residents will spend another day, a special day, alone this year.
Source: Anonymous (doesn’t want to named) LAC from Derby.

​

I’ve been coming to you for Christmas Lunch for the past few years. You have always given me lift to where the meal is and made sure I get home safe afterwards. I did wonder if you were doing a meal this meal and it would be great if you could as it makes my Christmas being with others instead of being sat at home waiting for the carer to come and give me some rubbish to eat, as usual.
Source: Tom, aged 76 from Spondon, Derby