At the Greeno Centre, Shepperton
25th December 10.30am to 3pm
Booking essential
Free 3 course Christmas lunch, entertainment, gifts, tombola
Organised and run entirely by volunteers
For the community, from the community
Community Christmas Day Lunch
Again in 2024 we are providing a free Community Christmas Day Lunch for anyone who would like the company of others in the Shepperton and surrounding area. A traditional freshly-cooked three course roast turkey lunch with all the trimmings, guests also receive a gift bag and a tombola prize.
We welcome everyone, whether you are alone or with your spouse or family, young or old, any faith or no faith. We can provide transport by our volunteer drivers.
The day is wholly organised and run by volunteers from the local community. Organised by Christmas Day at the Greeno, an unincorporated charitable association.
We are entirely funded by generous donations from the community. Every contribution helps ensure our guests have a wonderful Christmas Day. Please do donate if you are able to.
Our sponsors
Gallery
What we do
Background – First published in Shepperton Matters, 1st November 2014
In a village like ours we love keeping up our traditions. What are the Shepperton traditions? The Easter Egg Hunt, the Village Fair & the Raft Race, Harvest Festival, Big Tree Night & Father Christmas with his sleigh and – Christmas Day at the Greeno Centre.
It was started in 1990, inspired by Leo Roderick, a staunch member of St Nicholas Church, who drew in support from Churches Together in Shepperton. There was still a Methodist Chapel in Shepperton then, but the Jubilee Church had not yet been built. The ecumenical spirit of that period is not so much in evidence today, co-operation between the different churches being on an individual friendly basis, rather than a formal link.
The Shepperton churches all still contribute behind the scenes to the smooth running of the Christmas Day festivities. Where else would the peeled vegetables, the wrapped presents, the raffle prizes and the cheerful drivers and washers-up come from? There is welcome additional support from businesses in Shepperton and members of other village societies. It’s a genuine community effort.
So, if you might be on your own this Christmas, especially if it is for the first time, do think about coming to join us at the Greeno. Just as welcome as our guests are the volunteers who lay tables, greet guests, sing carols, pour drinks, serve lunch and ferry raffle prizes to the winners. There are even some who (shhhh!) wash up.
At our AGM on 8th November 2018, we formally adopted a constitution as required to become an unincorporated charitable association (not a registered charity as we only do one event). Today it’s a joint partnership between churches and the community. The day has always been based in the council day centre “The Greeno” in Glebeland Gardens, the council allow us to have this for free, and we are fortunate to have access to all the facilities that they offer.
Preparation begins several months before, by a committed team, who liaise with many people who work behind the scenes to ensure we have the teams in place on the day, the Mayor is invited, and to organise the provision of gifts both in kind and financial.
On Christmas Eve, a set up team takes over the centre, and in just a few hours transforms the lounge and dining room with Christmas sparkles. The kitchen team receives the vegetables donated from the four churches and all the other donated food and starts to prepare lunch.
On Christmas Day, the early birds in the kitchen start at 9am, with guests arriving at 10.30am for coffee and a morning in the lounge to get to know each other over a quiz and a carol or two. The Mayor pops in to say hello, before a pre-lunch drink is served. By 1pm we have adjourned to the dining room for a scrumptious three course lunch; As lunch ends, Father Christmas arrives and the tombola is drawn. Carriages arrive at 3pm, then the clearing up elves set to turn the Greeno back to when we first walked through the door.
Contact us
If you wish to know more, or to book a place, or you wish to volunteer with us, please get in touch using the details below.
Email: christmasgreeno@gmail.com
Telephone: 07407 491027
About us
The Community Christmas Day Lunch is organised and run by Christmas Day at the Greeno, an unincorporated charitable association.
We are entirely independent of the Greeno Centre, but are grateful to all the team there who generously allow us to use the Greeno Centre every year for our Christmas day Lunch.
Christmas Day at the Greeno can be contacted on 07407 491027 or at The Bramleys, Dunally Park, Shepperton TW17 8LJ.