A COMMUNITY centre will open its doors on Christmas Day to treat lonely East Oxford families.

East Oxford Community Association is hoping to feed 100 people during its special festive meal on Christmas Day.

About 30 volunteers have united to spread cheer and goodwill with free lunches at East Oxford Community Centre.

Community Association chairman Colin Aldridge said: “We want to remember that not everyone is fortunate enough to have family and friends around them at this time of year.”

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More than 70 residents have already signed up to enjoy the festivities, but volunteers hope to feed 30 more.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner at 3pm, with all the trimmings, and a vegetarian option will also be available.

Rapper Enzyme will entertain guests with afternoon entertainment, along with banjo players, drummers and much-loved festive tunes.

And volunteers will also head out during the afternoon to deliver meals to elderly and disabled residents unable to make it into the centre.

Volunteer Junie James, 61, of East Oxford, is one of the 12-strong team which will prepare the feast on Christmas Day from 10am.

The mother-of-four and grandmother-of-nine said: “There’s so much pressure on you at Christmas.

“People on their own, they have no family or friends, so what do they do.

“It’s lonely eating on our own at any time, even more so on Christmas Day.

“I hope there will be a sense of camaraderie and people will just get together and get to know somebody and get a sense of togetherness and that we are all in this together.”

Volunteers joined councillors to raise £600 to put on the festive spread at the centre, in Princes Street.

The money was raised after city councillor for St Clement’s Tom Hayes set up a Justgiving page to help fund the event, with the target of £300 reached within just two days of the page launching.

He said: “Loneliness is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone and the Christmas season can cause people to feel even more isolated.

“By opening the doors of the community centre on Christmas Day, East Oxford Community Association are undertaking an enormous act of kindness.”

Food donations are still needed before the big day arrives to help create hampers for guests, as well as gifts for youngsters which will be handed out by Father Christmas.

Donations including clothes, books and games are needed, as well as non-perishable food items.

These can be left within a collection box found at outside the community centre’s reception.

For more information call 01865 792168 or email east_oxford_cc@yahoo.co.uk To donate money to the event visit justgiving.com/yimby/eastoxfordcommunitycentre



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