VOLUNTEERS and young people in Blackbird Leys face a race against time to get turkey on the table this week and are appealing for eleventh-hour help with funding.

About 150 people will be treated to a community Christmas dinner with all the trimmings on Thursday by the Leys Community Development Initiative (CDI).

Youth project manager Marsha Jackson and her little helpers also intend to deliver 'care packages' containing vital emergency supplies to 50 homeless people on the streets of Oxford and 50 isolated older people on Christmas Eve.

But the CDI is still about £650 short of the £1,500 needed to fund both projects, and has issued a plea for cash and donations.

Chairwoman Sasha East said: "On Thursday we are going to get young people and over-50s together in a room and play lots of silly, fun Christmas games, and feed them with nice festive sprouts, pigs in blankets and turkey. But we are short of cash and we have to hire extra catering equipment: an extra oven, tablecloths and crockery."

About 100 regular CDI members will be at the lunch in Blackbird Leys Community Centre and there is space for people from the estate and surrounding area to book on.

Guests will begin to arrive at 4pm, with an array of party games including human Connect 4 and 'people bingo' before and after the main event.

Hampers of food were distributed by the CDI to housebound people in the area last Christmas but Miss Jackson said this year the organisation was extending its reach.

She added: "Care packages include toiletries, gloves, socks, sleeping bags and non-perishable foods. The young people are helping out making mince pies.

"We want to get out into Oxford and give to the homeless. They are the forgotten community. It's cold outside."

Last year the Oxford Mail's 'Lonely this Christmas' campaign shed light on some of the 10,000 over-65s in the county feeling the chill of loneliness over winter.

Statistics suggested that Northfield Brook, which includes about half of Blackbird Leys and all of Greater Leys, had the highest proportion of lonely people in Oxfordshire.

Miss Jackson said: "We have identified a lot of people that will spend this time alone. It's hard; if we can turn up with a card, have a chat and lighten their day it counts."

So far the CDI has raised £850 towards Christmas, including £100 from each city councillor and £250 from local firm Unipart, as well as food donations from Waitrose.

Individuals or local businesses are being urged to support the CDI with cash donations or items to go in care packages such as non-perishable food, clothes and toiletries.

For more information or to donate call 01865 395927 or email leyscdi@btconnect.com