Sheffield volunteers serve 50 Christmas dinners to homeless

Homeless and Rootless at Christmas (HARC) prepared and cooked the Christmas dinners at their space in Sheffield's Cathedral Archer Project

Volunteers served 50 Christmas dinner to the homeless in Sheffield who took advantage of the chance to be sociable as well enjoying a good festive meal.

Guests dined outside to be suitably socially-distanced, courtesy of charity Homeless and Rootless at Christmas.

HARC has provided food and day shelter for more than 40 years, normally from the city's Cathedral Archer Project.

Volunteers said guests had "really missed" the social interaction because of the pandemic.

Ellie Poxton, this year leading the kitchen staff at HARC, said every day until 1 January people are being offered a hot breakfast sandwich and a hot lunch, alongside a cold sandwich and other items for an evening meal.

On Christmas Day however, the chefs cooked a full festive dinner with all the trimmings, including dessert, serving it from the church gates on Campo Lane in takeaway containers.

Ms Poxton, who also cooks at the Sunday Centre each week, said Christmas this year was "very different for everyone" but she was glad to still be able to cook for people.

Ellie Poxton, 21, studied nutrition at Sheffield Hallam University and helps plan meals for the Sunday Centre charity as well as HARC

Steve Clark, of the Sunday Centre, said 80 hot Christmas dinner takeaways were given out this year for the charity's annual Christmas dinner day, the last Sunday before 25 December.

"Before the pandemic we did about 80 meals a week which were sociable sit-down two-course meals and people came for social interaction as well as the food," he said.

Numbers have dropped to about 50 now they cannot have people inside, and he said both the guests and staff "really, really miss the social side".

Volunteers at the Sunday Centre said they "really missed the social interaction" in 2020 as they were unable to host meals inside

More help

When HARC closes on 2 January, the Archer Project behind Sheffield Cathedral reopens Monday to Saturday to help homeless and vulnerable people. The Sunday Centre will provide hot takeaway meals every Sunday from 3 January.

Help Us Help brings together help and support organisations in Sheffield, and Sheffield Council with partner agencies have created Covid Prevention Packs for homeless people, including face masks, hand sanitizer and chocolates, to be given out at various projects around the city.

Christmas at the Sunday Centre in 2019, guests sat down for Christmas Dinner, entertainment, advice and chat

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