Feast of fun

TV chef helps charity tackle festive loneliness

- BY GILES SHELDRICK

COUNTING down to Christmas brings palpable excitement for many — but for some the holiday season means dread and sorrow.

More than one million older people will sit down to eat on their own, and one third of OAPs say this time of year heightens their feelings of loneliness and isolation.

But the Royal Voluntary Service is fighting back, setting up more than 180 Festive Spreads in the run-up to Christmas. Each will ensure pensioners are able to share a meal and enjoy the magic of the season in the company of others.

In Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, the Ethel Wood Community Centre echoed with joy and laughter as more than 40 guests sat down for a hot Christmas lunch, musical entertainment, a festive quiz session... and companionship.

A local club that has run for 40 years is supported by 10 volunteers in a powerful example of the kind of community action replicated across the country.

For those facing life alone, many with long-term health issues, the seasonal get-togethers run by the RVS and backed by the Morrisons Foundation are a lifeline.