What is The Christmas Dinner?

The Christmas Dinner was set up by the poet, and former care leaver, Lemn Sissay (OBE), with the intention that no care leaver would be left alone on Christmas Day. The first Christmas Dinner was in Manchester in 2013, and in the years following there have been Christmas Dinners in towns and cities across the country and the project continues to grow.

To quote Lemn Sissay:

“Many care leavers are sat in flats, B&B’s and hostels, away from family, or sofa surfing and some are indeed living on the streets on their own at Christmas. Christmas is a reminder of everything they never had… I know because I’ve shared their experiences”.