At the beginning of this year following a conversation with the poet and writer, Lemn Sissay MBE. I learned all his about charitable foundation and how it organises lunches on Christmas Day up and down the country for young care leavers aged 18+.

I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t really understand why such a thing was necessary until it was explained it to me that if you’ve spent your childhood in care, once you are legally an adult you can be turfed out of the “system” and left to fend for yourself. Come Christmas Day that could mean spending the day alone in a flat, a B&B, a hostel or even living on the streets. Having a 19 and 18 year of my own, it’s hard to imagine how isolating and sad that must be.

So with the help of some amazing friends, we're rolling up our sleeves, donning our aprons and organising a lunch on Christmas Day for up to 50 young care leavers at Highgate United Reformed Church. We’ve been given the space for free and we already have generous pledges of food and presents for the day. It will kick off with a welcome reception before everyone sits down to a traditional three course lunch (omplete with crackers and paper hats) and naturally everyone gets to open a present.

There will also be games, live music and a creche provided for those guests who wish to bring their children,

We are seeking to raise £5,000 primarily to pay for transport to pick up guests and drop them off. As you probably know, there’s no public transport on Christmas Day so whilst it’s all very well organising such an event, if the people we want to come can’t get there, there’s not much point in doing it. Any surplus funds will be spent on making the day even more special than we planned.

All the money raised will be paid into the Highgate URC bank account so that the outgoings can be tracked and accounted for.