Alone for Christmas? Or wanting to celebrate with family but finances are tight?

Have a Heart and Echo Church will again be serving a delicious Community Christmas Day Lunch at the Whakatāne War Memorial Hall.

This is a free event, open to anyone wanting good food and good company this Christmas Day.

The lunch features a traditional Christmas menu including roast chicken, pork, ham, stuffing, pumpkin, potatoes, fresh salads, and festive dessert.

This year, organisers expect to seat 300 people at 30 tables, with the capacity to feed more if needed.

There is no cost and no registration required.

“This lunch is open to absolutely everyone,” said Have a Heart project manager Maria Wessels. “Families, singles, people finding it hard to put food on the table, or people who are lonely on the day – whoever wants to come is welcome.

“It’s not only for people who are homeless or in need. It’s for anyone who wants company and a good feed. Christmas is about giving and interacting with others,” she said.

“At the lunch, everyone is on the same level – there’s no judgment. It’s about coming together as a community to eat, connect, laugh, and celebrate this special day.”

Echo Church (formerly Curate Church) helped establish the Christmas Day lunch in 2008, creating a long-standing Whakatāne tradition that ensures no one is left out on Christmas.

Gifts will be available for children attending and a nativity scene set up inside the hall offers a perfect place for families to take photos and capture a special memory.

The event is made possible through the support of community partners including St George’s Church, the Baptist Church, Ōhope Lions, New World Whakatāne, The Village Bakery, and Tui Party Rental.