A STAFF Christmas lunch left six special guests and many Unipart employees with smiles on their faces and a belly-full of food on Wednesday.

In response to the Oxford Mail and Age UK Oxfordshire’s Lonely This Christmas campaign the manufacturing, logistics and consulting company invited 20 elderly residents to join them for the annual three-course festive feast.

Six managed to make it on the day and take part in the celebrations at the company’s base in Garsington Road.

Unipart director of corporate affairs Frank Nigriello said: “We invited them to join us, particularly because we heard about people who were suffering from loneliness and do not necessarily have these kind of connections over Christmas.

“We wanted to give them a nice place to come and to meet different people.”

A traditional three-course meal was put on with roast turkey and all the trimmings. As usual, crackers were the staple meal essential with employees enjoying the silly hats and rubbish jokes.

Mr Nigriello added: “We were really pleased to have them –people who perhaps are on their own or have nowhere to go.

“I think they had a great time and found it a great memory in the lead up to Christmas.

“One visitor, Roy Croucher, was a former employee who retired 36 years ago, so it was good to hear of his memories of the company and how it has changed.

“It was a good day out for them and we were very happy to do it.”

Unipart also donated £500 to Age UK Oxfordshire. By December 25, the Oxford Mail is aiming to raise £5,400 for Age UK Oxfordshire, which will pay for 2,000 phone calls by Phone Friend volunteers to help some of the 10,400 older people in Oxfordshire who say they are often or always left feeling lonely.

PLAY YOUR PART:
* Donate to the Lonely this Christmas appeal, which is aiming to raise £5,400 by Christmas to support Age UK Oxfordshire and its and Phone Friends service. Text AUKO52 £3 to 70070 to give £3 or visitcampaign.justgiving.com/charity/ageukoxfordshire/endloneliness to pledge an amount of your choice.

* Volunteer with Age UK Oxfordshire. 10 new recruits are being sought over the Christmas period. There is no set minimum age and Phone Friends can volunteer from just two hours per week. To find out more, e-mail volunteering@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk. 

* If you’re organising a Christmas lunch for neighbours and older people who may not have anyone to share the day with, register it at communitychristmas.org.uk.