Elderly in Long Bennington serenaded with festive carols on their doorsteps on Christmas Day

Elderly residents were serenaded with festive carols on their doorsteps on Christmas Day.

Volunteers dressed as a Santa and his elves to deliver hot Christmas dinners to some of the elderly and vulnerable in Long Bennington.

The volunteers are part of the Long Bennington Covid-19 Response support group, which was set up to help residents during the pandemic.

They also delivered crackers, mince pies, shortbread and other festive treats alongside the hot meals.

Volunteer Janet Rose helped deliver the meals with husband Martin, who dressed up as Father Christmas.

She said: “We delivered leaflets around the village a few weeks before Christmas to ask for anyone who was on their own for Christmas, isolating, or just lonely or vulnerable, to get in touch and we would arrange a Christmas dinner for them.”

The volunteers delivered 15 hot dinners with the help of the Cunningham family singers, who also volunteer for the group.

Janet said: “The singers really were the highlight of the day. We have received so many messages from those who received the meals to say just how wonderful it was to open their doors and hear an accordion and Christmas carols.”

The support group was set up by a dedicated group of villagers aiming to act as a central point of contact and advice for covid-19 related services and information in Long Bennington. They have been providing essential supplies for families and individuals in the village facing hardship as a result of the pandemic.

As well as fundraising, the group received a grant of £500 from Lincolnshire County Council as part of the Covid-19 Community Fund Scheme, which helped towards the cost of the Christmas dinners as well as supporting local families.

Janet added: “It was a real community effort.

“A huge thank you goes to James at the Reindeer [pub] for making the dinners, Lisa for the delicious cupcakes and mince pies, Lincolnshire Co-op for boxes of pies and shortbread, a lovely lady called Lynette who provided crackers and Linda Bell who made a wonderful gift.”