Record numbers at Christmas Day dinner

Christmas 2016 has set new records for Core Church’s Melksham Christmas Day dinner with more guests, more helpers and more donations than ever before.

The annual event was enjoyed by over 200 people, and despite a few set backs, the day was a great success say organisers.

Gavin Owen, the organiser of the event said, “With the many guests we had no choice but to cook the turkey on Christmas Eve as there simply wouldn’t have been enough oven space on Christmas Day to cook it all! To feed two hundred people we needed twelve enormous turkey breast rolls which once again were donated by I. D. Newman & Sons butchers on Church Street. Thank you to Laura and Phil at Newmans, the generosity of your family is overwhelming.

“Christmas Day got off to a tricky start when a problem getting the ovens to light put the kitchen team back by an hour. Then an hour before lunch a spill of oil started a small fire in one of the ovens. This was put out but the smoke set off the Assembly Hall’s alarm system  automatically cut-off the gas. It was about twenty minutes before the gas was back on and lunch was served over an hour late.

“But the kitchen team did not get stressed, they rallied themselves and made the sensible decision that it was better to carry on as planned and get everything right than try to rush and end up serving a poor meal. Our guests and helpers were very patient and understanding as well;  as I said on the day, if you take on a task this size year after year then sooner or later you will have a problem and it could have been so much worse.

“It being our tenth Christmas, I wanted to do something special, so back in October I had contacted local primary schools asking them if they would be willing to prepare carols for our Christmas Day carol service. The children would be filmed singing their carols and the recordings played back on the big screen on the big day. To my delight two schools, Forest and Sandridge C.E. Primary School and Bowerhill Primary School said that they would love to help.

“So on Christmas Day we were treated to superb renditions of O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night by the choir of Forest and Sandridge School and We Three Kings, Once in Royal David’s City and We Wish You a Merry Christmas by the children in year 5 of Bowerhill Primary School. Their performances were much appreciated and all received a warm round of applause.

“The food was delivered swiftly to the tables by the small army of local people who had volunteered to help. I can’t say a big enough thank you to those people who chose to have their Christmas dinner with all of us. Some have been helping us for years, some were new faces and we are truly grateful to all of you.

“Our three-course meal ended with dessert. I learned years ago that some people have the misfortune of not liking Christmas Pudding! Not to fear, Angela of local catering firm Food Glorious Food came to our aid once again, supplying us with her indescribably delicious cheesecake and gateau free of charge. Angela, you are a star!

“Thanks to the many people who, during the weeks before Christmas, arrived on our doorstep with contributions of food, drink and other supplies for Christmas Day.

“For more years than I can remember we have been assisted in this by Leszan Travel, without whom we would not be able to get anybody in a wheelchair to the Assembly Hall. Thanks go both to the owners of Leszan and to the manager, Clark Feguson, for his can-do attitude and willingness to go out of his way to help us every year. Thanks also to local residents Les Bale and Brian McHugh who both took time out of their Christmas Day to help with transport.

“We would also like to thank Melksham Town Council for allowing us to use the Assembly Hall. Thanks to Tim Cross, the manager, who was with us all day which was particularly helpful when the smoke alarm went off!

“I always worry that I’ve forgotten to thank somebody, so let me say a big thank you to anyone else who contributed in any way to give us another wonderful Christmas Day. What happens in Melksham at Christmas is a powerful reminder of what people can achieve when we put the needs of others first and work together towards a common goal.

“Ten Christmas dinners organised, how many more to come? We can’t fit any more people in the Assembly Hall but we have no intention of turning anyone away. What’s the solution? Well, as somebody once said, don’t worry, I have a cunning plan!”