Church cooks free Christmas dinners for homeless

Llanberis churchgoers are preparing 30 Christmas dinners for homeless people, turning their church kitchen into a festive production line for the fourth consecutive year.

A team of eight women from St Padarn's Church are cooking everything from turkey and pigs-in-blankets to Christmas pudding, packaging the meals for residents at the nearby Dolbadarn Hotel, which became emergency accommodation during the 2020 pandemic.

The initiative began during lockdown when the group realised regular meal voucher providers would be closed on Christmas Day, leaving residents without access to a hot meal. With the hotel situated at the bottom of the church drive, the volunteers have developed a good relationship with the homeless community.

Heather Jones, one of the volunteers recalls a touching moment from a previous year: "The reaction was 'Wow, you did this for us!' It meant so much, especially as there had been some initial resistance in the community to the hotel becoming homeless accommodation."

For the women involved, this initiative is an example of the true meaning of the Christmas. "As worshippers, we've always tried to live by the gospels, not just read them," says Heather. "The church isn't just for Sundays - it's a 24/7 commitment to showing how Jesus intended for us to love one another. Our society today is calling out for more good Samaritans."

It's a brilliant example of putting the Christian principle of loving the world into action!

The Christmas dinner initiative is part of St Padarn's broader engagement with homelessness issues. Throughout the year, the church supports the Arfon Food Bank and GISDA, a youth homelessness organisation, providing essentials like toiletries to those in need.

Canon Naomi Starkey, Ministry Area Leader of Bro Eryri, which includes St Padarn’s, says, “I can't speak highly enough of the energy and generosity of the St Padarn's team who plan and put these meals together for those in need. It's a brilliant example of putting the Christian principle of loving the world into action!”