Around 250 people turned up for the Timaru Community Christmas Dinner at the Caroline Bay Hall.
While attendant numbers where down slightly at South Canterbury community Christmas dinners, more than enough people rolled up their sleeves to help run the events. Timaru Community Christmas Dinner co-ordinator Melissa Brennan said there were about 60 volunteers at Friday s lunch at the Caroline Bay Hall, with the most interest ever in helping out at the event she has run for the past eight years.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Timaru Community Christmas Dinner attendees packed the Caroline Bay Hall on Friday. She wasn’t sure if increased community awareness in the wake of Covid-19 had played a part in that.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Fairlie herd manager Theo Bennison is organising a community dinner so he won t feel lonely on Christmas Day.
A Fairlie herd manager who didn’t want to spend Christmas alone has organised a community Christmas dinner with 40 guests. As Timaru and Waimate volunteers also prepare for their own annual meals, Theo Bennison said it would have been his first Christmas Day in the Mackenzie town by himself, and he was not looking forward to it. After talking to other people who were also destined for a solo festive season, Bennison decided to do something about it and will host the lunch at the Mackenzie Rugby Clubrooms.