A group of young people in South Belfast will help put on a special Christmas Day dinner this year for those in need in their community.
Rosario Youth Club and Ballynafeigh Methodist Church have come together to put on the special festive event on December 25, which will provide free Christmas dinners to all in attendance as a way of supporting the vulnerable in the area.
All of the young people who attend Rosario Youth Club will be helping to put on the dinner in various ways.
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A core group of teenagers taking part in a cross community project will be helping to set up the venue for the day along with helping to get donations and support from local businesses and the community.
The rest of the young members will be helping to design Christmas decorations and there are plans for them to develop a Christmas video where they will sing carols that can be played at the dinner.
Speaking to Belfast Live, youth worker Mark Jones said: "At Rosario Youth Club we have a wonderful relationship with many local organisations and are very happy to be teaming up with the Ballynafeigh Methodist Church to put on this special Christmas Dinner this year.
"We have a number of teenagers who are taking part in a cross community project and they were very keen to do something to help the most vulnerable in their community this year and asked the church if it could help them put on the Christmas Dinner.
"The Methodist Church already does meals for those who are vulnerable in the area and this is a continuation of some of the brilliant work it is already doing.
"All of the members of the youth club will get involved in setting up the Christmas dinner in some way, with the older members helping to set-up for the meal and helping to get donations and our younger members will be helping to create decorations and hopefully a video of them singing carols that can be played on the day.
"The aim of the day will be to ensure that anyone who is lonely, isolated, vulnerable or just in need of a bit of extra help at Christmas, is able to sit down in a nice cosy environment and enjoy their Christmas with others."
David Hines, from the Ballynafeigh Methodist Church said that they run a weekly meal for the community that usually attracts between 60 to 70 people and that he is very happy to be partnering with Rosario this year for Christmas Dinner.
He said: "We have been running a Christmas Day meal in some shape or form for the last 3 years, obviously coronavirus>Covid played havoc with it but we have had a fantastic response from the community.
"We run a weekly community meal throughout the year every THursday eve 6-7pm in the Ballynafeigh Church Hall. That normally attracts 60-70 folk of all ages and backgrounds and tha hall is filled with a joyful hubbub of chat, dishes clinking and laughter. It is free but is supported by donations and volunteers.
"We were planning to do the same this Christmas Day and were really encouraged when Noel Savage and another friend from Rosario Football Club offered to sponsor our meal and Rosario Youth Club offered to involve their youth in helping us to put it on!
"This is brilliant as it involves the teenagers from the youth club in decorating the hall, setting out the tables, chairs and place-settings, publicising the event and even volunteering on the day if they are able.
"These sorts of collaborations really model the sort of community that the Ormeau Road is at its best and we are delighted that we'll be stronger together this year!
"It was only when my parents got divorced that I realised that Christmas can be an awkward, even depressing time of year for some folks. Even after a bereavement, how can you do things as normal when everything has changed?
"And we all struggle to remember the 'true meaning of Christmas' half way through a tin of Quality Street! Sometimes it is better not to try and do things the same way, but to break with tradition and try something different, something that is focused on helping others.
"We have always found great satisfaction and fun in planning our Christmases around this community meal on Christmas Day; our four kids will be there and a pile of volunteers, there's always room for more too.
"So please don't sit alone this Christmas Day, if you are happy to put up with some joyful hubbub we'd be delighted to include you in it!"
In the lead up to the event, Rosario and the Ballynafeigh Methodist Church are appealing for donations and support to help put the day on.
Mark continued: "Any help that we are able to receive to put on these Christmas dinners would be greatly appreciated as we look to support those in need in our community in South Belfast."
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