Christmas meals delivered to lonely islanders

A Guernsey charity has teamed up with local businesses to deliver nearly 100 Christmas meals to people on the island who will be spending the day on their own.

Guernsey Round Table set up the Great Christmas Lunch initiative with Valderie Construction and Barras Retail Centre to provide pre-prepared Christmas lunches for free.

Other local businesses have donated ingredients and money towards the brand-new initiative, which organisers said they hoped would be the first of many.

Oscar Webber, from the charity, said those involved also hoped to make sure people were not alone and to spread "happiness on Christmas Day", adding: "I think it's important to give back as much as you can."

Volunteers have been preparing and cooking roast dinners and puddings this week which will be delivered on Christmas Eve, along with a present, ready for people to heat up on the day.

Chef Matthew Bamford said he volunteered because he came from a big family in Lancashire and "Christmas is important".

He said: "I know there's a lot of elderly people where their children have moved away, so they're alone.

"I've heard some stories from people ringing up and asking for them and it's been an emotional time - it's almost brought me to tears at times."

Paul Gilson, who received one of the packages, said it felt "marvellous" to have his Christmas dinner delivered, adding it was a "beautiful, nice gesture".

He said he would "cherish" his parcel and was excited to open his present.

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