Rotary Corner: How we helped to make it a Christmas to remember

​Care leavers are young people who leave local authority care when they are over 16 years of age and have to fend for themselves. In 2023 there were over 48,000 care leavers in the UK.

Numerous companies and individuals also donated, including purchasing gifts from the Amazon Gift List that was set up, with Waitrose providing everyday essential hampers, Kingsgate Community Church providing Christmas hampers and A2B taxis collecting the youngsters for this special day. A venue is also provided for Christmas Eve preparation and the event on Christmas Day.

Christmas Dinners now take place in 35 cities and towns in the country, with the first one started in 2013. This initiative was started by Lemn Sissay (poet) who had himself been in care and understood the impact of being a care leaver alone on Christmas Day. Guidelines on how to organise and run this Christmas Day event are provided by the “Gold From The Stone Foundation” www.goldfromthestone.org.uk and are organised locally by groups of volunteers, who start organising and fund raising in September and then present wrapped and prepared vegetables and decorated the venue tables on Christmas Eve. A volunteer chef and team arrived early on Christmas Day to cook a three course Christmas meal for the guests.

Volunteers arrived at 10, ready to welcome the guests from 11 and hosted throughout the day, followed by clearing up, when the youngsters had left at 3. Activities during the day were also available.

The youngsters at all Christmas Dinners received a handmade quilt, as a symbol of a “hug” and the guests chose a quilt during the Christmas Day event. They also received a “personalised wow” gift, and also stocking filler gifts, such as hats and gloves and toiletries.

This was the fourth year that this event has been held in Peterborough, enjoyed by 40 guests and the volunteers, ensuring the guests were not on their own on Christmas Day.