ON December 25th, Ammanford Pensioners Hall opened its doors on Christmas Day for people of all ages in the Amman Valley who were spending the festive weekend celebrations alone.
Organised by members of Ammanford Evangelical Church for over 20 years by now, the Community Christmas Day meal held annually in the town centre has become very popular with many people returning year after year. Coming from a number of locations, age range and backgrounds, the idea behind this special event continues to ensure that no one is alone on the big day.
This year, new guests and families joined the gathering to enjoy Christmas Day in a friendly and relaxed environment. Those in the community who were not able to afford a full dinner were provided with a free three-course Christmas Dinner and transport when the alternative would have been an empty home and perhaps an empty plate.
Sammy Davies, Pastor of Ammanford Evangelical Church said “ I was overwhelmed once again by the number of people willing to give up a significant portion of their Christmas Day to help out and serve in so many ways.
“Everyone who attended seemed to really enjoy themselves. I’ve never experienced such a positive response from the guests.
“This excellent opportunity could not have run without the help of the number of volunteers that gave up their time on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve to set up the tables, give lifts, buy and cook the food, serve, wash up and pack away, with many being inspired by others to get involved and to help those less fortunate in our community.”
The meal saw around 80 people in total get together to celebrate in each other’s company through food and carol singing. In addition for 2017, an enjoyable time was had by all watching a puppet show. Each person was also given a gift to wish them a Merry Christmas.
One of the volunteers on the day Nathan Jones added: “I have been a volunteer at the Christmas day meal for 9 years since the age of 14 and have been inspired every year. I always enjoy being part of the team which saw almost 30 volunteers contribute towards a great afternoon in 2017. It is great to have the opportunity to help others less fortunate at this time of year and make the Christmas period better for them. Seeing regular faces come back annually is also fantastic, seeing them leave with a smile on their faces. We look forward to welcoming guests to the dinner in 12 months’ time in 2018! Great food, Great fun, Great company.”
