Community

Rotary Clubs spreading Festive Cheer in Their Communities

Rotary Clubs spreading Festive Cheer in Their Communities

It’s become a tradition in Battersea, just south of the River Thames, where the Rotary club’s annual Christmas meal has become an annual fixture for the borough’s elderly.

Battersea Park Rotary has been hosting a Christmas Day lunch for elderly residents in the south London borough for 57 years.

And this year, it was another stonking success when they catered for over 400 elderly Wandsworth residents in the Evolution Marquee at Battersea Park.

The guests arrived in a fleet of minibuses where they enjoyed a traditional Christmas Day lunch, and then continued the celebrations by dancing and singing, as well as playing games of bingo.

The event takes considerable organisation and some cost. The Battersea Park Rotary Club relies on donations, grants and in-kind offers, as well as the generosity of people and organisations in Wandsworth to stage the lunch.

Without their generosity, this event could not have happened,” said Liz Shaw, from Battersea Park Rotary.

London District Governor, Tony Sharma, was on hand to support the 200 volunteers to give the elderly residents a memorable occasion.

Battersea Park Rotary has been hosting a Christmas Day lunch for elderly residents in the south London borough for 57 years.

Many of the diners said on their way home to the buses that they couldn’t wait until next year for another Christmas lunch.

It was a similar story in Birmingham, where members of Wylde Green Rotary, joined Inner Wheel colleagues to prepare a festive treat at SIFA Fireside.

They are a charity which seeks to improve health and inclusion for homeless people in Birmingham, and is the Rotary club’s adopted charity for this year.

Rotarians helped with sorting clothing, before preparing, cooking and serving a Christmas meal for 160 visitors and clearing up afterwards.

It was a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings followed by strawberry cheesecake and cream.

“There were lots of compliments from many of the clients on the food. A great day of Rotary in Action,” said Carolyn McLaughlin, Secretary of Wylde Green Rotary.