The event was the first sit-down Christmas lunch organised by the Kelly Foundation and their food arm Kell’s Kitchen and welcomed around 80 guests and volunteers to the Pinehurst venue for a free festive meal.
The idea grew from a moment the previous year, when Emma delivered a Christmas dinner to a man who would otherwise have eaten on his own.
Emma Rees, from The Kelly Foundation, said:
“It’s been in the pipeline for about three months. We’ve been here all week setting up, and the community centre have kindly allowed us to have the space for free.”
The lunch took place at Pinetrees Community Centre and was supported by a range of local and national organisations.
Support was provided by Zurich, Aldi, The Strawberry Thief and Sovereign Housing Group, ensuring the day was delivered at no cost to guests.
Emma Rees said:
“This is the first one we’ve ever done. Hopefully next year will be bigger and better, and we’ll expand and hit 150. That’s the plan.”
She explained the personal motivation behind the event.
“Last year, I took a dinner to a man that was on his own,” she said. “I realised that there are so many people in this community that are lonely and have no family. I can see my family anytime and have Christmas lunch, but there’s lots of people in our community that have got nobody.”
Guests travelled in from across Swindon, including North Swindon, West Swindon and Old Town.
The afternoon included a shared meal, music, a visit from Father Christmas after The King’s Speech, and a wrapped present for each guest provided by Zurich Community Trust.
Live music was provided throughout the event by local singer Emma Doupè, who performed for the full three hours.
She said:
“It’s the Christmas spirit. The Kelly Foundation have done a lot for me over the years, and I just think what they do is really incredible. What a better way to spend the holiday.”
Emma Doupe also spoke about the impact of the lunch.
“There’s such a sense of pressure to be together over the holidays,” she said. “You might end up just not having people to be around. That feeling of isolation can be really strong. It might be a little bit scary to go and have food with people you don’t know, but it just makes you feel good.”
Volunteer Martin Drewitt described the atmosphere from the start of the day.
“Even picking them up and bringing them here, we had songs in the car on the way,” he said. “Everybody’s really happy and really grateful. It’s just brilliant.”
He said the charity’s local focus was key to its success.
“It’s so close to the community,” he said. “It’s accessible for everybody, and people speak so fondly of the organisation.”
Organisers said the lunch exceeded expectations and had already sparked discussions about making it a regular Christmas fixture in Swindon.
