Kind-hearted volunteers with St Cuthbert’s Care’s PACE (Parish And Community Enablement) projects pulled out all the stops to make Christmas extra special for their guests during December, serving traditional festive food and drinks, organising entertainment and games, singing carols and providing comfort and friendship.
Seven of St Cuthbert’s Care’s PACE projects shared the joy of Christmas with their guests. The photos show just what it meant to 
everyone.
For both guests and volunteers it was their first Christmas together and often a stark contrast to the lonely, bleak Christmases many of the guests had experienced in the past. This year, as well as comfortable surroundings and wholesome, tasty food, they were able to celebrate new friendships and a real sense of belonging within their local community.
Kathleen Urwin, Community Services Manager with St Cuthbert’s Care said, “There is no doubt that our PACE projects have enabled hundreds of volunteers to play an important role in restoring people’s broken links with their communities. However, the kindness and generosity shown is not just something that happens at Christmas; that warmth and caring is constant throughout the year and is often the most precious gift our guests can receive.”
The longest-established as well as the newest PACE project, Worswick Welcome in Newcastle and Open House in Sunderland, will both open as usual during the Christmas period. They will be welcoming the homeless and those with no income into their halls to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with good cheer, good company, a seasonal menu and some additional goodies.
St Mary’s Open House in Sunderland, celebrated their first Christmas together with a visit from Pippa Attle, this year’s Miss Sunderland. “I’ve always been interested in helping homeless people,” said Pippa, “and I’m definitely planning to spend time helping out at Open House.”
Even though it has been open for only four weeks, the café-style service has already provided over 400 meals, snacks and refreshments to some of the most needy and vulnerable people in the region.