Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, attended the annual Home Alone at Christmas Dinner, on December 23rd.
The lunch took place between 12 midday and 3pm at the South Staffordshire District Council’s restaurant.
Father Christmas was in attendance and presented each of the guests with a small gift.
The Home Alone at Christmas Dinner event was founded in 2010 by South Staffordshire District Councillor Sonja Oatley.
Oatley started the event when it came to her attention how many local, elderly residents were spending the Christmas period alone and isolated from their community.
The three course dinner was completely free, thanks largely to the support of the Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire District Council, which donated money to the cause from the joint County and District Council Local Members Fund. Transport to the dinner was also offered free of charge for the guests.
On the event, Gavin said: “I greatly enjoyed attending the dinner and meeting all the other guests. Many of us take for granted our ability to celebrate Christmas with family and friends, but there are many for whom Christmas can be an extremely lonely period.
“I would like to congratulate Councillor Sonja Oatley on organising this annual event. This year's dinner, like all before it, was a tremendous success and was greatly enjoyed by everyone present.”
Councillor Sonja Oatley added: “This is the fourth year that we have done this and it is terribly important that some of our perhaps lonely or isolated members of the district, who will not have a Christmas meal with family or friends, have an opportunity to enjoy a Christmas meal with their fellow residents.”