Thousands flock to free festive lunches

Updated

Free Christmas Day lunches have helped spread cheer to thousands of homeless, hard-up and lonely people.

In Sydney's King's Cross, the Wayside Chapel held its annual street party, with dancing, singing and a sit-down lunch.

Hughes Street was blocked off to traffic, and was festooned with decorations. Not even a downpour from the heavens could dampen spirits at the gathering.

The chapel's Reverend Graham Long says around 600 people attended the traditional sit-down lunch, with hundreds of others also fed.

He says today is the best day of the year to share with others.

"There are people from every strata, really, we just say don't be alone," he said.

"So, there are some older people who are shut-ins, and who just don't have family.

"I say to people just don't be on your own and be miserable - come out and be miserable with us."

Guests sat under a block-long marquee as the rain began in earnest, singing carols and enjoying the antics of an exuberant choir.

Reverend Long says the chapel has hosted the party for almost half a century, since 1964.

"Originally it started out as a smallish barbecue in the back alley and it just grew over the years," he said.

Ken Sharpe, 80, in a cork hat bedecked with bells and kangaroos, says the party is "a damn good idea".

"Look around - the feeling. As the daughter says, she hugs and kisses people that another time you'd cross the street to get away from," he said.

"People should do good things for other people and they don't need religion as a crutch, they should just do it."

Reverend Long agrees: "This is very street, you know. We try to keep the bullshit to a minimum."

In the Sydney suburb of Ashfield, the Exodus Foundation put on its 27th free lunch, and before midday (AEST) there was already a queue stretching onto Liverpool Road.

The foundation laid on more than 65 hams, 55 turkeys, 540 kilograms of baked vegetables, 220 litres of gravy and 330 litres of custard.

The foundation's Reverend Bill Crews says the annual lunch began with a plate of sandwiches and two lonely people 27 years ago and had grown to feed more than 400 people within four years.

He says each year the number of people turning up increases.

"With the cost of living as high as it is I'm not surprised that today's turnout is high," he said.

"Just because you're lonely or you can't afford Christmas doesn't mean you have to go without."

Meanwhile at Eveleigh in inner Sydney the Salvation Army's Streetlevel Mission fed around 1,500 people in its 16th year of operation.

The Salvation Army's Robyn Evans says more than 150 volunteers gave part of their day to help bring hope to those less fortunate.

Every child and teenager attending was given a bag of Christmas gifts from Santa.

Meanwhile, the Wiggles helped spread Christmas cheer at Sydney's Children's Hospital.

ABC/AAP

Topics: community-and-society, human-interest, charities-and-community-organisations, charities, religion-and-beliefs, sydney-2000, ashfield-2131, kings-cross-2011, nsw, australia

First posted