As a local group of volunteers, we are delighted with the success of the first two Care Leavers Christmas Dinners in Peterborough in 2021 and 2022. We established a community group called The Christmas Dinner Peterborough and with the help and support of a team of volunteers and the generosity of local people and businesses we were able to create an amazing experience for young care leavers who would otherwise have been alone on Christmas day.

Our vision for 2023 is to build on the success of the last two years and demonstrate once again to young care leavers in Peterborough how much their community cares about them.

The Christmas Dinner www.thechristmasdinners.org.uk is an annual project, started in Manchester by Lemn Sissay OBE, to provide an unforgettable Christmas Day for care leavers, young people between 18 and 25 leaving the care system (foster care/ residential homes) and living independently for the first time, who may otherwise spend Christmas alone.

In 2023 we are pleased to be partnering again with the George Alcock Centre www.gacentre.co.uk who are providing our Christmas Day venue, and Diamond Hampers www.diamondhampers.org who are supporting us with donations of Christmas Dinner ingredients.

We are seeking support from individuals and businesses to help make this year’s Christmas Dinner one which our local care leavers will remember forever. On top of the dinner every care leaver will receive gifts and a hamper of food to take home to enjoy over the following days.

We are seeking financial support to purchase:

• Gifts suitable for males and females age 18 – 25

• Decorations for the venue

• Food hamper items

• Transport for our guests to and from our venue on Christmas Day

Volunteers with Food donation from Waitrose and partners from 2022

Our chef volunteer from 2022,

Lunch hall preparation 2022

Takeaway gifts packed and ready for guests 2022

Volunteers ready to serve food - 2022