Bilton Hall to support community on Christmas Day with 60 free Christmas dinners and gifts for families affected by the Cost of Living Crisis
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Bilton Hall CIO, in Taunton Avenue, in Jarrow, will be providing the 60 three-course Christmas dinners for residents and families in the area on the big day, as well as a gift for every individual there.
Staff and volunteers at the centre wanted to offer the option to struggling families and individuals after seeing firsthand how the cost of living crisis is having an impact on the community.
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Hide AdThe day is open to all ages, families and individuals, with no criteria to meet to be eligible for the meal.
Volunteer Stevie Walden, 25, from Jarrow, who works as a Community Development Officer, said: “My family all work in different community jobs, so through the connections we have we managed to get the funding to do these dinners for people on Christmas Day.
"We know how much people are struggling right now so we just wanted to do anything we could to help.
"It's just to help people, whether it be with financial struggles, loneliness or to be somewhere warm, literally whatever.
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Hide Ad“Places like Bilton Hall are essential, especially right now. Ever since I got involved volunteering with Bilton I discovered just how much they do for the local community and I think they really are an essential service that deserve a lot of credit.
“In my job I can really see the impact the cost of living crisis is having and it’s worrying how much it’s affecting people. Even people who are working in jobs are struggling right now so there’s no criteria to be involved with this. We’ll have people and families from all backgrounds and it should be a great day.”
Funding for the meals and gifts come from Charities Aid Foundation and Key UK, while the meals will be cooked by Stevie’s husband, chef Max Burton, 31, who owns Fork’n Service.
The Bilton Hall Christmas meal still has spaces remaining and anyone who would like to register interest should contact 0191 4898224.