Councillors and volunteers across the city are joining more than 900 elderly people this week at midday Christmas parties being supported by Liverpool City Council.
The Mayoral Neighbourhood Fund is helping to fund these events to prevent the elderly feeling lonely at Christmas.
The Devonshire House Hotel on Edge Lane has been holding events all week from 11:30am up until 4pm with entertainment by comedian Mickey Finn and a three course meal for the older generation to enjoy.
The hotel has been holding the pensioner Christmas lunches for over 20 years. Functions and Conferencing Manager Jerri Fiddle told JMU Journalism: “It’s a free event run by Merseyside police sponsors by Herbert of Liverpool. We don’t only focus on the elderly we have lots of other public event which are hosted in the evening time.
“What you do find is that the pensioner would prefer their Christmas events to be held during the daytime rather than coming out in the evening time with the cold dark winter nights.”
Liverpool councillors have worked with local neighbourhood teams and volunteers from Liverpool Mutual Homes to invite the elderly, as well as volunteers and housing association staff.
Labour councillor Gerard Woodhouse is volunteering at the event and told JMU Journalism: “We do this each year but not on the scale were are doing it this year.
“On top of these three parties over 5,000 older people will be having parties in their own areas with the support of local councillors and voluntary organisations.”