Pub staff make room at the inn for 100 lonely elderly this Christmas

Never mind baby Jesus, staff at the Kingslodge Inn made sure there was lots of room at their inn and a Christmas lunch for 100 elderly people living alone.

For almost one million older people in the UK, Christmas is a lonely time and so staff at The Kingslodge Inn in Durham decided to play host to elderly people living nearby.

No less than 100 free Christmas meals were served up this week, with plenty of sherry and pints of beer. Transport to and from people’s homes was also arranged, in collaboration with the care group The Abbeyfield Society and Age UK Durham.

Paul Brown, operations manager of The Inn Collection Group, which runs the Kingslodge Inn, said: “We were incredibly touched by the plight of older people whose lives are blighted by loneliness and felt it was our duty as an operator to step in to do something about this".

He added that the pub group “will be looking to roll out more inclusive events for isolated people across our estate of inns."

For the eighth year running, The Abbeyfield Society has run its ‘Companionship at Christmas’ campaign inviting lonely elderly people to free social events at its care homes from November to January.

The Abbeyfield Society tweeted: ‘A fantastic time was had by all. A truly lovely event that we all look forward to every year’.

Free events, activities and meals, offered as part of Abbeyfield’s Companionship at Christmas campaign, can only be provided for free because of volunteers and donations received from individuals and businesses.

As well as free meals and entertainment, the campaign also provides isolated people aged over 55 with free overnight stays at Abbeyfield houses and homes during the festive season.

click here for more details or to contact Abbeyfield Living Society