Cafes to serve food and festive cheer for free

As well as a turkey dinner with all the trimmings organisers will be providing a brass band along with the usual Christmas classics on the stereo and staple Christmas films.

Along with a meal and companionship gift bags will also be handed out to those who attend.

Buxton’s Source and Tradesman’s Entrance cafes will open their doors between 12pm-4.30pm on the day.

Ruth Eyre, 32, who is running the event for the fourth year in a row, said: “We try to make it as much like a Christmas Day as possible.

“A lot of people genuinely love it - they get some friendship and social interaction on a day which can be really lonely.

“We hand out a gift bag with things like hats, gloves and scarves - the kind of thing you get at Christmas.

“A guy said to me two years ago they were the first presents he’d had in five years.”

There are spaces for about 65 people across both venues - both well-attended for the last few years.

People of all ages and walks of life are welcome with ages ranging from 18-20 up to 70.

Ruth says people with mental health issues and those who are just on their own or struggle to pay for a proper Christmas Day are welcome to come along.

The Source Cafe will be serving a three-course meal including home-made soup and Christmas pudding or cheesecake for desert while the Tradesman’s Entrance will serve just the main meal.

To book a place at the Source Cafe meal please phone Ruth on 07932 220915.