Christmas lunch goes off with community help

The Warehouse Whanganui will provide the cutlery for this years Christmas lunch. Left to right: Shirley Spooner, Connie Semenoff and Justin Mulligan. Photo Stuart Munro

City Mission are hosting their Christmas lunch at the Whanganui War Memorial Hall this with the help of local businesses.

Organiser Shirley Spooner says the day couldn't have gone ahead without the help the local community.

"We've had a lot of sponsors, which is great, People are very generous this time of year."

Countdown are providing 65 cooked chickens for the feast, while New World and Pak'nSave will provide the pavlova for desert.

"Our menu this year will be ham and chicken with cold salads."

"A lot of the food is donated by the major supermarkets."

Fifty volunteers from the community will prepare the meal on Christmas eve that will feed over 400 people.

"The volunteers come for all different sorts of reasons, some people have been through tough times and they want to do something that will bless others."

Once the feast is finished, father Christmas will arrive to hand out gifts to children.
"Oh, and a bouncy castle will be there for the kids," she said.

The Warehouse Whanganui have provided cutlery.

Store manager Connie Semenoff says its a real treat to give back to the community.

"That's what we strive for, its great that we can help out over Christmas."

Mrs Spooner the day is for those who don't have anywhere else to go on Christmas or who simply want to spend the day with company.

"Last year we had some families who were new to Whanganui come, and they really enjoyed it, because we could give them at family atmosphere at Christmas...which is what everybody wants."