A CHARITY that provides people in need with a much needed lunch celebrated its anniversary with a special festive feast.

The Southampton Sunday Lunch Project was started 25 years ago by councillor and former Southampton Mayor Carol Cunio, as somewhere to offer respite to homeless people and those in need of support.

Now a quarter of a centenary old, the charity has grown and provides a free lunch to people every Sunday, all year round. Last Sunday the charity was able to offer a special Christmas dinner, thanks to being sponsored by Denplan, to around 100 people in need.

Chairman of the charity, Dennis O’Shea, 62, said: “Because Denplan sponsored us we were able to make this Christmas a lot more special for people and we will see more than 100 people today who are in various stages of homelessness and poverty.

“It has allowed us to put on a decent Christmas lunch with presents and crackers which we normally wouldn’t be able to afford.

“Some people really have no other place to turn to, we don’t ask questions about their name, address or family circumstances and we don’t hassle them so they feel safe in that respect.”

Dave Bradshaw, retired, has been coming to the lunch project for years as a chance to socialise and said: “I think the amazing thing is the people who do this marvellous job do it all year round – they do us very proud and we all appreciate it.”

The 80-year-old from Southampton added: “I come here to meet people for many years and it is quite a day out.”

Around 130 people volunteer at the charity which gives free lunches to hundreds of people every week in Freemantle and Woolston.

Mr O’Shea, from Bassett, said: “It gives people a purpose, otherwise they would stay in places like car parks but now they make their way here to get a free lunch.

“They also get to meet people like themselves and get to talk about their circumstances.”