Waitrose to foot the bill for Christmas

Thursday 17 September 2015

One local retailer plans to stock up on all the right ingredients to stop Islanders feeling lonely this Christmas.

Waitrose wants to hear from all Santa's little helpers who put on a big spread for elderly, homeless and vulnerable people who would otherwise be on their own on Christmas Day.

Local branches are offering to help pay for the Christmas dinner and provide all the festive fare and Waitrose staff will also be volunteering their time to help plan the slap-up meals.

It’s the third year running that the retailer has helped people in the community at Christmas and all 338 Waitrose shops across the country are supporting the scheme again this year – volunteering their time and donating money or produce to put towards community Christmas dinner events.

Waitrose Community Manager Tina Varns said: “Our branches are at the centre of the communities they serve.  We know how important this time of year is to so many people and it is important everyone has the opportunity to enjoy that. We want to play our part in helping more people have a Merry Christmas this year.”

Anyone who’s organising a Christmas do in the Island has until 26 September to get in touch with the retailer to apply for support.

Duncan Langston who is a director of Waitrose in the Channel Islands said: “We are pleased to be able to offer our support to Christmas lunches in Jersey and we would encourage organisers to contact us with their plans.”

Waitrose is also asking its customers to think of people in the Island who might be lonely this Christmas and help them to have a happy one.