'Great disappointment' - Charity cancels Christmas sit-down meal
Dinner is served at the annual Open Christmas in Great Yarmouth. Picture: Belinda Jayne Roll - Credit: Belinda Jayne Roll
A traditional Christmas event for homeless and vulnerable people on the coast has been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.
The Great Yarmouth Open Christmas meal is normally held on Christmas Day.
The event, organised wholly by volunteers with the help of donations, has run for 21 years and provides a free Christmas meal and festive cheer for people who would otherwise be on their own or have to go without on December 25.
But Michael Hitchins, on behalf of the Great Yarmouth Open Christmas committee, has announced that the annual sit-down meal will not take place this year.
Pandora Pape and John Kirk with their dog at Great Yarmouth's Open Christmas - Credit: Archant
"Alternative plans that we had in place unfortunately failed due to the unprecedented and fluid situation we have all found ourselves in," he said.
You may also want to watch:
The charity, in partnership with Better Together Norfolk and Great Yarmouth Minster, will instead distribute Christmas hampers on December 23 and 24 to many of those people who would usually attend the event.
Hampers will also be available for collection from Great Yarmouth Minster on those days between 10am and 12pm.
A group of people ready for their Christmas dinner at Great Yarmouth's open Christmas - Credit: Archant
For more information about Great Yarmouth Open Christmas 2020 visit its website: www.openchristmasgreatyarmouth.org
Most Read
- 1 £250,000 of cannabis found in two cars on A11
- 2 'Public' swimming pool could have to shut after mystery complaint
- 3 'One of a kind' home with golf simulator and gym is for sale for £795,000
- 4 'Too many holiday homes' - Residents object to conversion bid
- 5 Met Office warns of snow at weekend
- 6 Man throws bottle through house window in confrontation
- 7 Wigwams approved - but villagers feel 'overpowered' by tourist industry
- 8 Beds occupied by Covid patients at hospital increases five-fold in a month
- 9 Missing man found safe and well
- 10 Knifeman threatened to cut victim's throat if he 'grassed'
