Citizen Local Fund Community Café Christmas Party Visit

Citizen Local Fund Visit – Community Engage Foundation Christmas Party

The Engagement Team recently visited the Community Café, a project funded by the Citizen Local Fund and run by the Community Engage Foundation. This incredible initiative helps reduce isolation and food poverty through projects like the Community Café and Good Food Club. They provide free meals, affordable food, wellbeing activities, and a warm, welcoming space where people can connect.

This year, the Citizen Local Fund helped make the Christmas party and the distribution of festive hampers possible.

Hayley, the project lead, told us:
“Without this funding, the party would have been very different. This money has gone a long way in supporting the local community.”

The event was truly special. Guests enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner with mince pies for pudding, and everyone received a present. Santa even made a surprise visit, bringing smiles to children and adults alike. On top of that, the team provided Christmas hampers to help families through the festive season.

Many people shared how much this place means to them:

“This café is a lifeline. I don’t feel alone anymore.”
“Without this support, Christmas would have been really hard for us.”

It was amazing to see everyone coming together to make this celebration so joyful. The volunteers worked tirelessly to spread Christmas cheer and ensure no one was left out. Their hard work shows how important these projects are for building strong communities and supporting those who need it most. Vicki from the Engagement Team had the honour of handing out presents to guests at the party, adding an extra special touch to the day.