Many enjoy Settle Christmas Day Meal 2015 - Pictures

The day before ..The tables
are laid out on
Christmas Eve
ready for Christmas Day

50 people came to Settle Community Christmas Day Meal, including helpers.(details at end). (plus 3 extra casual visitors plus 2 people out to whom we sent food = 55)

Others in Settle were touched by the meal: In December I visited or contacted several people who came last year but were not coming this year, for various health or social reasons. They were pleased to be remembered.

I was also encouraged by the support we had from Settle Community in general for the event - a lot of people were pleased it was happening. 

It was held at St John's Methodist Church Hall and church. A new worship building has been built next to the hall, and just opened 2 weeks ago. We tried using this for the carol singing before the meal, and arranged the chairs in an almost circle.

Here are some pictures of the event:

Christmas Day Lunch 2015

Just one of the lunch tables

 In the kitchen

Carol singing in the worship room before lunch.

With Baby Jesus

After Lunch we had Pass the parcel, a time of Recitations and party pieces, and Singing led by Pauleen Wright including the Twelve Days of Christmas:

Judith playing the accordion for Pass the parcel after lunch

In the "Party Pieces Time"Chris reads a
poem about the Seven Ages of Man/ A student

Poem read by Rosie from a card she had received

Pauline leads "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Finally Afternoon tea in the coffee room. A man called Len Cliff brought in a spare tree he had with lights attached...

Some highlights for me:

1. Derek singing "on Ilkley Moor" - He asked me to accompany him - I was convinced in the verses we had got stuck in an eternal loop..
2. Denise holding the lifelike "Baby Jesus"
3. We had some "worthy cases" - from someone who was unable to go and celebrate Christmas in the Lake District because the place where they would have stayed was flooded - To a lady who came because her friend was in hospital - to people who had lost loved ones - to people who have been before - some many times and just really enjoy coming.

I would like to thanks lots of people:

1. Most important of all: The people who came. If they did not come there would be no Christmas meal: including two people who were eventually unable to come because of having to go to hospital.
2. The chief cooks Martin and Pauline this year -  It is a big responsibility and a lot of work. Well done. And a big thank you to cooks in previous years: Christine and before that Ken and before I took over, Margaret Holgate and Jean)
3. Elga for making the beautiful table decorations, and for providing the cloths.
4. The helpers - I would like to mentions certain ones who were a fantastic help .. but then the list gets so long where would I stop?
5. St John's Methodist Church for making the facilities available and leaving the rooms so nicely decorated, and their concern that the event should go well. And their caretaker.
6. Age UK team for allowing us to use pans etc and their bunting, and for publicising the event.
7. The Craven Herald - and maybe our local correspondent Gill for publicising the event

Several people gave small donations privately towards the event and some shops contributed. A big thank you.

The Singing Kettle and their customers who raised £50 through a raffle of a hamper and contributed many goods. 



Several other shops in Settle contributed in kind: Speight and Watson gave Crackers. The Naked Man gave (I think) mince pies) 
(I'm checking - I may have one or two more places people to thank via Diane at the Singing Kettle)

Knights Table Cafe at Knight Stainforth gave a contribution including some lamb. 

The Coop donated £25 worth of goods.

The Coop donated £25 of goods.
And I'll also say "thanks"
for your excellent notice board.

Standing near the poster (top left) for the Christmas Day Meal  on the Coop excellent notice board

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Some extra notes:


50 people came to Settle Community Christmas Day Meal, (details at end).  The helpers paid too, and came to enjoy the day as well as to help. 
We also took two meals out (not charged for).
Three extra visitor/helpers came for a short while.
Two other people had been booked for coming but had to go to hospital.

36 people had the role "guest" and 15 people had the role "helper" in some form but all paid except for a few (5) special cases. varying from limited means/income to not paying in lieu of materials bought for the event.

We bought turkey crowns from the local butchers Drake and Macefield, and a Christmas Cake from The stall at the Victoria Hall Market. 

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comment from one of the volunteers:
"I've been wanting to attend and give a bit of help for a long time and this is the first year I've been able to. I enjoyed Christmas Eve as well, the community effort of working together over the presents. I had the same feeling as I used to when I helped to make the 'flags' with Jeanne Carr and co.-working together to produce something for the community. It was good to sit down with people one didn't know and find out about them."