Rotary provide Christmas Day Lunch for elderly of Barnet

The Rotary Club of Barnet continued the tradition started in 1980 of inviting the elderly of Barnet to enjoy Christmas Day lunch and entertainment. The participants are selected on the basis that they would otherwise be on their own and many have been coming for a number of years. The event is supported by local charities, collections in the Barnet High street and local Waitrose and Sainsbury supermarkets.

This year 56 people were collected from their homes and entertained to a full Christmas meal at Ewen Hall on Wood St, Barnet. Also attending was Mayor of Barnet David Longstaff, Lord Lieutenant of Barnet Martin Russell and Rotary in London District Governor Helen Antoniou who all wished the guests an enjoyable day and thanked the Rotary Club for all their hard work. Barnet Rotary President Daniel Orchard thanked the dignitaries and all the guests for coming and wished all a Merry Christmas.

The event is a mainstay of the Rotary calendar in Barnet with Rotarians fundraising with collections in the High Street, running the event, and helping on the day supported by a number of volunteers who are keen to give up their Christmas Day this great event each year. The organiser Scott Maclachlan said the event was nearly full as the number of guests was near the maximum we can cater for, and thanks must go to our intrepid cooking team lead by Rotarians Mike and Debbie Hodge who worked the usual magic.