Wednesday, October 8, 2025
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Public Notice

URGENT TIME LIMITED RESPONSE – Meals on Christmas Day

Rebecca Barry

See flyer – respond by 4 December 2020.

As you may know that Benn Partnership Centre has been hosting the community at the Centre on Christmas Day for the last 16 years. Starting from around 12 in 2006, the numbers have risen every year to 79 last year.  This year, the model of delivery of this service will be different because of the obvious need to avoid large numbers of people meeting in the Centre. The event is supported by CEMEX, ASDA Foundation, TESCO, Mitchelle’s potatoes, local businesses, local farmers and the many volunteers.

Christmas meals will be prepared in the commercial kitchens of Benn Partnership Centre on Christmas Day by former Mayor Belinda Garcia and her husband Paco along with a team of volunteers. The meals will be packed and kept ready for collection at the door as per a pre-prepared schedule. A further team of volunteers will pick up the meals from the door and deliver the meals around Rugby.

All volunteers will be checked for COVID-19 symptoms on the day at the Centre. Most volunteers are regular and have been supporting the Christmas Day celebrations every year for the last many years and have been DBS checked. Many meals are being delivered by community and neighbourhood groups as they are already in touch with the community. Any personal information forwarded by agencies as referrals will be treated in strict confidence and only for the purpose of the service delivered on the day. BPC has an active Data Protection Policy with staff and volunteers adhering to its principles in any way. You are welcome to request the document should you or others wish to have  sight of it.

I have contacted local neighbourhood and community groups, churches, Food Bank, Hope 4 and FIS team to scout around for members of the community who would benefit from this service.

I would like your help in spreading this message through social media posts and newsletters. I have attached a poster that can be used for publicity and a referral form. I would particularly request your help to reach out to the following groups of people, as I am uncertain how to do so:

  • People who have been recently bereaved – due to COVID-19 or otherwise
  • War veterans
  • Families who are presently accessing free school meals
  • Keyworkers who have lost loved ones

I have written to the Family Information Service and to the Warwickshire County Council’s children’s team, but I have yet to receive any traction from them. Preferably, and for planning purposes, the deadline for receipt of names would be 4th December 2020.

The trustees have consulted with all and are confident that there is capacity to deliver 400 meals. It would be a shame not to reach this to make a difference to the most deserving.

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