Christmas arrived early for elderly and vulnerable residents across Furness and South Lakeland when they were treated to a festive meal and gift, courtesy of three local businesses.
Chefs from Lakeland Inns fired up their kitchens to produce 60 dinners and desserts for older people in Ulverston.
The meals were then delivered over the weekend by staff from My Kind of Clean, who had highlighted clients they believed would benefit from a seasonal treat
For a final festive flourish, everybody who received a meal was also presented with a Christmas gift, courtesy of Ulverston-based PR and Marketing company, 32West.
The generous gesture came about when friends Emma-lea Dalton and Kirsty Ridge were discussing how their businesses could help those most in need.
Emma-lea, who is the owner of My Kind of Clean, said: “It has been such a challenging year and we wanted to do some good in the community.
“One of the services we offer is a companionship service, which we launched after realising that many of our elderly clients not only need help with their cleaning and errands, but would also like a little company.
“Kirsty said her team of chefs from Lakeland Inns could cook a Christmas meal for the clients we have who would most benefit – and we spent the weekend delivering them to 60 homes.
“Hopefully the people who received them will enjoy tucking in, in the knowledge they are in our thoughts this festive period.”
My Kind of Clean offers a suite of cleaning and home help services to a growing number of clients.
Emma anticipates that 2021 will be her busiest year yet, as householders and businesses boost their cleaning regimes.
It was kitchen staff at Lakeland Inns’ The Sun in Ulverston who stepped up to the plate to prepare and cook the two course meals.
Managing Director Kirsty Ridge said: “Normally at this time of year, our kitchen teams would be preparing thousands of festive meals for diners and people on work Christmas parties.
“While we are still at capacity on certain days, we are nowhere near normal levels of activity due to social distancing restrictions.
“It was a real pleasure to work with my kitchen teams to produce Christmas dinners for such a good cause and I hope the elderly and vulnerable people we delivered to enjoy them.”
As an added touch, PR and Marketing Firm 32West, which is based out of Ulverston and has clients across the UK, decided to buy a gift for each of the 53 meal recipients.
Products handmade by local businesses were packaged together to make mini hampers which were handed to the residents as their meals were delivered.
James Higgins, a director of 32West, said: “Nobody should be forgotten at Christmas and when we heard about the amazing idea from Kirsty and Emma-lea, we asked if we could add something to the mix.
“We saw getting involved and buying locally made gifts as a double boost; primarily in giving the area’s elderly and vulnerable residents a festive treat, but also in supporting fellow businesses.
“It has been a horror of a year and it was our pleasure to bring a little cheer to people in our community who will appreciate it most.”
