A Lake District inn has hosted a free Christmas dinner event in a bid to help combat loneliness.
Elderly residents across South Lakeland were treated to an early Christmas by The Inn Collection Group last Wednesday.
The Waterhead Inn, based in Ambleside, hosted residents in need of a social boost from across the area with the help of Ambleside Parish Centre, Ambleside and Kirkstone Rotary Club and Age UK South Lakeland.
It was chosen as this year’s venue to host the dinner after its multi-million pound refurbishment in the summer. General manager Daryl Hardy held a similar event in 2022 in the town’s Regent Hotel.
Numbers at this year’s event were more than double last years – with a total of 84 diners being fed.
Attendees were treated to a three-course meal with starters of tomato soup or melon and parma ham followed by either a traditional roast turkey or beef dinner or a vegetable wellington.
Puddings included traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, a trio of ice cream or mince pies with tea and coffee.
Fully fed, watered and full of festive spirit from an afternoon of good company, the invitees began to leave around 3.30pm.
Daryl said: “It was good to welcome the guests to the lunch at The Waterhead Inn and to be able to invite people from across the community in Ambleside and the surrounding villages.
“Through working with Ambleside Parish Centre, Ambleside and Kirkstone Rotary and Age UK South Lakeland, we were able to welcome double the number of guests we did in 2022 and I know from speaking to them throughout the afternoon that they enjoyed the day.
“As an inn, it is important for us to be at the heart of our community and to look after our local residents and I’m hugely grateful to our contacts at those groups who helped us reach a whole new band of people.
“The whole team did a great job in putting on the event, from the front-of-house guys who looked after the diners to the kitchen brigade who turned around more than 80 three-course meals with no pre-orders and I’d like to thank them for making the day run so smoothly.”
