Aldi provides Christmas lunch

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Christmas day was certainly one to remember this year for Rye Community Shop. We were blessed to be awarded the Aldi Giveaway whereby the Hastings branch kindly donated all their perishable goods that would otherwise have been thrown away due to the store closure for the Christmas holidays. This resulted in the shop being given more than £1,000 worth of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes and chilled meat, fish, pizzas and ready meals.

Trestle tables groan with food at the Rye Community Shop Christmas lunch, courtesy of Aldi

The ready meals, pizzas and pasties were passed to Snowflake Nightshelter for the homeless in Hastings while the chilled meat and fish went to the Rye Day Centre freezer. The remaining food was distributed to those attending the shop’s Christmas Day lunch and others around the town including our newly arrived Syrian refugees.
Full Christmas lunch was served to 23 people at St Mary’s Centre, all of whom seemed to enjoy the food and company. The day culminated with coffee and cake whilst watching the Queen’s speech. It was encouraging to know that some who attended last year were this year invited to family or neighbours.
Thanks must be given to Rye Community Transport for the use of their vehicle to collect from Aldi; St Mary’s Centre for the use of their facilities; Beckley Primary School for the little Christmas cakes; Marie Claire Erith for the Christmas tree, and to everyone who helped set up the tables or helped on the day itself.
Rye Community Shop is there for its community and we thank everyone who has contributed to its success over this past year. To be able to put on such an event would not be possible if it were not for the continued support of our donors and customers. On behalf of the trustees and volunteers, I would like to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful New Year.

Photos: Kate Sims

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