My Story

On 1st January 2018, I sadly lost my dad, Ron at the age of 83.

Throughout my life my Dad had a remarkable ability to think about everyone else before himself, and as a teenager I remember him arranging numerous trips and meals for local older people who were lonely or socially isolated. These trips brought people together, friendships were created, loneliness was eradicated and fun was had. The group renamed themselves Ron’s Recycled Teenagers.

I was hugely proud of my Dad and his passing made me think about priorities and what I would like to do in his memory.

In 2018 with the support of Age UK in Leeds, the Yorkshire Business Community and personal donations, Ron’s Christmas Lunch was created - a Christmas Lunch and Party for up to 120 lonely, isolated older people living in Leeds.

In 2019, we went bigger and better with 150 guests plus an additional 35 children from an underprivileged school in Leeds, who entertained the guests before enjoying a lunch of their own.

When I started this journey I was told that in 2018 their were 37,000 lonely or isolated older people living in Leeds. There are heart breaking stories of older people not talking to another human being for weeks on end. This was hard to comprehend, but I am sure that the pandemic of the last two years has taught us all how bad isolation and loneliness can affect us.

The pandemic put Ron’s Christmas Lunch on hold but we are back for 2022 with the Marriott Hotel booked for Tuesday 6th December. Any help you can give would be appreciated.

Just £25 will provide a two course Christmas Meal for one, £10 will help provide a taxi to the venue and if you are a business, why not sponsor a table for just £250.

Other sponsorships are available and I would be happy to discuss these with you. Please contact me at [email protected].

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