Northamptonshire hotel cooks over 1,500 Christmas dinners for those in need

More than 1,500 Christmas dinners are being sent to people in need in Northamptonshire.

The meals were cooked by chefs at Whittlebury Park in Towcester over the course of just one and a half days.

On Friday the meals will be donated to refugees, the homeless, and the vulnerable, as well as doctors and nurses working Christmas shifts at Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

The donations are part of a collaboration with the charity Food4Heroes and the service is in its third year.

Miranda Wixon, a Food4Heroes spokesperson, said: "This came together during lockdown when we found there were lots of people without Christmas meals.

"This is for anyone who's in need of a Christmas meal.

"That could be refugees or people who are isolated in their homes.

"We're just hoping to reach anyone who wants a bit of Christmas cheer."

The effort was financed by Carlsberg and run by Whittlebury Park.

Craig Rose, executive chef at the hotel, said: "It's been a sterling effort by the whole of the team.

"We've got some great people working with us and volunteers who have come out from different segments of the industry. It's been brilliant."

The Christmas meal includes carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, stuffing and turkey.

Explaining why the hotel got involved with the scheme, Mr Rose said: "When Food4Heroes approached us and asked if we'd be interested in helping, we couldn't wait.

"It's a great thing to get involved in, it's brilliant for the local county and it's nice to help people in need."

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