Charles Swift’s grandson relaunches free Christmas Day meal for the needy in lasting legacy to late relative

The grandson of much-loved former Peterborough councillor, Charles Swift, is organising a free Christmas dinner for people who are likely to be struggling in some way on Christmas Day.

Joshua Barnes is hoping the initiative – which is open to “families who can’t afford a Christmas dinner, and the vulnerable” – will both benefit the local community and be a fitting legacy for his dearly-missed grandfather.

He told the Peterborough Telegraph that the idea of offering a free Christmas dinner to people each year was something his late grandfather was very passionate about.

“Christmas Day at the Salvation Army has been going for about the last 20 or 30 years,” he explained.

“My grandad used to organise it while he was a councillor and the whole purpose of it was to remind the community about coming together.”

Joshua has rallied plenty of helpers to his cause. Along with family, friends and members of the community, City Cabs, Fulbridge School, (former mayor) Keith Sharp and Deen’s curry house have all contributed time, effort and funding to help the highly motivated 24-year-old relaunch his late grandfather’s favourite seasonal project.

Joshua believes Charles Swift would have agreed that the need for communities to come together is more pressing than ever.

“We’ve got the cost of living crisis, we’ve got families turning to food banks, and I know if my grandfather was alive, he’d be devastated by that.”

Spaces at the dinner table will be allocated on a ‘first come, first-served’ basis’.

Anyone interested in attending need only visit the Salvation Army on Bourges Boulevard beforehand and fill in a form.

A maximum of 70 people will be catered for, with the meal itself due to be served at midday.

Joshua said food hampers will also be offered to families “who need more than just a Christmas Day meal.”

Charles Swift, who was 92 when he died, was first elected to the Peterborough North ward in 1954 when Sir Winston Churchill was still prime minister.

He went on to lead the council, as well as serving as the mayor and deputy mayor of Peterborough.

He passed away on August 17 after a battle with cancer.

Mr Swift holds the record for being the longest serving councillor in the country, having served for 62 years in the city before stepping down in 2016. He was also the youngest ever mayor of Peterborough.

When asked what Charles Swift would say about all the effort his grandson has made to get Christmas Day at the Salvation Army up-and-running again, after a long pause John said, laughing: “You could have done it six months ago!”