What a totally wonderful lunch.  After Revd Amanda led us all in Holy Communion, we had a delicious lunch!  Lavinia and her team completely surpassed  themselves this year at our lunch for the over 65s in our community. I think altogether we were over 51, including the helpers. The turkey was perfectly cooked (by Nick Owen), (gravy in a series of thermos flasks) and provided at a very generous discount by the butchers in Alresford.  There were party hats and terrible cracker jokes, brussels sprouts, bread and cranberry sauce; mince pies and brandy butter.  In fact everything that could possibly be needed for a Christmas dinner.

The team who puts this together are just AMAZING.  Led by Lavinia Owen they include: Rosie Salmond, Felicity Urquhart, Joan Dartnall, Charlotte Appleby, Gail Mann, Sue Fatchen, Jill Croft, Sally Cannons, Lucy Pease, Sara Janssen, Amanda, Gerry, Rebecca, Emily Windsor-Aubrey, with extra cooking help from Fiona Stubbs and Elizabeth Bouldin.

Not only that but entertainment as well; as the young pupils from Itchen Abbas Primary School, led by their Headmistress Aimee Dear, kindly came and sang some beautiful carols and Christmas songs.  Followed by a cameo role from Father Christmas (aka Gerry Stacey), with a rather insecure beard and some Artic jokes.  Thank you so much to him and all of them also.

One of the best events of Christmas without a doubt!

Revd Alex Pease