Our Festive Spread

What will you bring to the table?

A Christmas meal at a Royal Voluntary Service lunch club

Royal Voluntary Service at Christmas

At Royal Voluntary Service, our work won’t stop because it’s Christmas. We know that this is a time for coming together and for supporting each other. Our volunteers will be working tirelessly over the festive period, bringing help, support, company, and comfort to so many people in our communities and hospitals right throughout Britain.

Our Festive Spread

💥 Pulling crackers, 🥂 Saying cheers, 🥔 Fighting over the last roastie… Christmas shouldn’t be something you celebrate on your own. But without our support, many people could spend the entire festive season without someone to talk to.

This Christmas, we’re expanding ‘Our Festive Spread’, and hosting more celebrations than ever before – right throughout Britain, for people to come together and share a hot, nutritious meal in the company of others.

We have hundreds of services in England, Wales, and Scotland, and they’re all opening their doors to welcome more people to join in the fun. So if you’d like to ‘bring something to the table’ this year, you can make a donation to ‘Our Festive Spread’ by following the link below.

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Keeping connected

Our Royal Voluntary Service clubs operate all year round, but throughout December they’ll be making things a little ‘extra special’ by laying on ‘Festive Spreads’ for anyone wanting to attend.

While the idea of a simple Christmas lunch might not seem special to everyone, for those who come to our clubs – those who often live alone and suffer with long-term health conditions – it’s something very special indeed.

“If I didn’t come to the Royal Voluntary Service lunch club each week, I’d be sat staring at the same four walls all day, every day.” - Mina, Royal Voluntary Service Social Dining member.

If you are interested in taking part in ‘Our Festive Spread’, you can use the link below to see what services we have in your local area.

(Image: Her Majesty The Queen supporting our Festive Spread event)

Find your nearest Festive Spread event

Her Majesty The Queen with guests at a Festive Spread celebration

Safe spaces and friendly faces

Royal Voluntary Service is proud to invite you to support Our Festive Spread and help give more people like William a hot festive meal and the gift of companionship this Christmas.

When his wife, Sylvia, was diagnosed with Dementia, William cared for her at home on his own. When Sylvia sadly passed away, William, who is 86, found himself isolated and alone. Without the help of Royal Voluntary Service volunteers and our Lunch Club in his area, William would be spending the entire festive period alone.

"The Christmas celebration at the Royal Voluntary Service centre is the only day over Christmas that I won't spend on my own. Without it, I wouldn't see anyone at all." - William, Royal Voluntary Service Lunch Club client.

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Royal Voluntary Service lunch club participant wearing a Christmas jumper, Santa hat and tinsel

Something for everyone

Last year it was estimated that around 500,000 over 65-year-olds spent Christmas alone. We know we can’t reach everyone, but throughout December, we’ll be hosting more in-person festive events than ever before. And for those unable to leave their homes, we’ll be hosting various festive activities through our Virtual Village Hall culminating in a ‘Virtual Festive Spread Celebration’ get-together for anyone and everyone wishing to be involved.

The event was held on Friday 13 December 2024. Come back soon to see a recording of the celebration.

A older guest at the Royal Voluntary Service Christmas lunch

Life-changing support when it matters most

This Christmas, our in-hospital volunteers will be working as hard as ever – taking referrals from NHS staff, earning patients’ trust, identifying individual needs, and arranging their safe return home following illness, treatment, or surgery.

Once back at home, our volunteers will call regularly to check in and make sure everything is ok, and they’ll even be on-hand to pick up and deliver urgent prescriptions, and to collect and deliver essential food shopping to make sure no one goes hungry this winter.

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A couple of Royal Voluntary Service volunteers preparing a Christmas meal at a lunch club

How your donation could help this Christmas

£5 could cover the cost of a hot Christmas lunch for an isolated older or vulnerable person at one of our volunteer-run lunch and social clubs.

£7.50 could cover the cost of a telephone welfare call from a trained volunteer to someone who is isolated, alone, and struggling with loneliness this Winter.

£10 could help us to send a volunteer to visit someone at home this Christmas time – someone who has become isolated and alone.

A couple of Royal Voluntary Service volunteers wearing festive clothes getting Christmas lunches ready to serve

£25 could help deliver a trolley visit to a hospital ward where friendly volunteers take the time to stop and chat with patients who are spending Christmas alone.

£50 could help us deliver an emergency food package to someone at home. This could provide a lifeline to someone unable to leave their house or is struggling alone at home this Christmas.

£125 could cover the cost of a festive event at one of our lunch and social clubs. This could cover the cost of a hot, nutritious meal for up to 15 older or vulnerable people, with decorations and entertainment.