At the end of 2024, the MPA Charitable Foundation donated £1,000 to support the  Community Christmas Lunch appeal, which has helped towards making it one of the most successful to date.

Organised by Henley Churches and The Hub at Henley, plus a team of fantastic volunteers, the annual Community Christmas lunch has been running for several years. The initiative provides local residents with a freshly cooked Christmas lunch with all the trimmings – either at the Church Hall or delivered directly to homes – as well as a Christmas gift.

Building on the success of previous lunches, this year was a real cracker. A fantastic 131 festive meals were prepared and provided alongside gift boxes for local residents to enjoy. Thanks to the team of volunteers, 70 meal and gift combos were delivered directly to people at home.

Many positive comments were received about the day. One person shared: “Christmas Day was superb and allowed us to enjoy a stress free, peaceful time, enjoying each others company.” Another one added: “What a wonderfully generous and community spirited lunch and festivities. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and all on offer. We are so grateful.”

In a note of thanks, the organisers shared that donations from MPA, other local businesses and individuals had enabled them to invest in additional equipment, as well as market the event more extensively to individuals who would otherwise remain isolated on Christmas Day.

To read about the other ways MPA is supporting local initiatives, visit our news page.

Christmas table with cracker and place settings