Community Wardens in Tangmere and Oving help to bring the community together this Christmas

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The Community Wardens will be working with Oving Community Watch and a team of volunteers to provide a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings on Thursday 21 December at Jubilee Hall in Oving, for residents who may feel lonely or isolated.

The meal will be funded by Oving Church and donations from The Gribble pub, whose staff will be cooking the turkey. There will also be a raffle with prizes donated by local shops, as well as donations brought in by guests and volunteers on the day.

Organisers and volunteers will set up the tables and decorate the hall in the morning and start cooking for the 75 expected guests. The main course will be served from 1pm, with a break in between courses for the raffle and plenty of time for guests to chat and relax. Each guest will also receive a small gift.

Oving Community Watch is run by Oving Parish Councillor, Liz Smith. The volunteer run service aims to provide transport to appointments, help with filling in forms and also runs regular social events to help vulnerable people feel less isolated.

"For many of the people coming to the Christmas lunch, this is the only social event they will attend over the festive season and it may be the only time they see other people," says Councillor Eileen Lintill, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Chichester District Council. "We want everyone to have the chance to enjoy themselves this Christmas and we don't want anyone to feel alone."

The Community Wardens have worked on a variety of community projects in Tangmere and Oving this year. They have talked to local schoolchildren about Halloween and Bonfire night safety; helped with the Tangmere Control Tower heritage project; visited local youth clubs; and supported 'Singing for the Soul' a social singing group run by Dementia Support.

Date of Release: 18 December 2017

Reference: 3778