A CHARITY will celebrate the true spirit of Christmas by staging a festive bash for those who don't want to be alone on the big day.

Lifeline Community Action’s Helping Hands team will once again serve up a free Christmas Day lunch followed by carols and festive games in Newton Aycliffe on December 25.

The festivities, at Woodham Golf and Country Club, is for individuals and single parents who would rather not spend Christmas Day on their own and follows on from a similar event last year, which saw more than 100 people attend.

This year, Lifeline Community Action is pulling out all the stops to make it a day to remember, with four-course meal, gifts, a Christmas quiz and games just some of the treats in store.

Mandy Richardson, food and beverage manager at Woodham Golf and Country Club, has provided the venue for free and many club members have volunteered to help out on the day.

She said: “Christmas can be a lonely time so we thought this was a brilliant way of giving people in their own community something to remember.”

Local chefs have also offered their services for free and have devised a mouth-watering menu featuring canapés and a selection of dishes to choose from.

Lifeline Community Action is a Christian charity that helps people in the Newton Aycliffe area of all faiths and backgrounds in times of crisis.

It is connected to Life Church, which is also sending out hampers containing everything required for Christmas Day lunch to families in difficult circumstances.

The initiative, known as Christmas Lunch on Jesus, follows a study that revealed four out of five people take out payday loans to buy food.

Alwyn White, from the Helping Hands team, said: “Payday loans create spirals of poverty that people really struggle to get out of. We are hoping that this new initiative will prevent a lot of this happening.”

The charity is appealing for financial donations towards the lunch and the hampers, as well as volunteer to help and provide transport on the day.

If you would like to attend the lunch or receive a hamper or know someone who would benefit from either contact 07936-431262 or lifeline.action@googlemain.com