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Tralee Soup Kitchen volunteers at Christmas dinner were, from left: Dawn Roberts, John Leahy, Collette Price, Kerry O’Connell, Joe Sweeney and Mary Dolan.
TRALEE Soup Kitchen held a Christmas dinner on Saturday where around 150 people were fed on what was a jovial occasion.
In the space of the last twelve months, Colette, reckons the Soup Kitchen has served somewhere between to 2,000 and 3,ooo meals, while they have served almost 11,000 meals since starting the service three years ago.
The soup kitchen normally serves on average between 90 and 100 people each week, but gets a spike in numbers for their Christmas meal because of food parcels that are handed out for the festive period.
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“There’s always a great atmosphere for our Christmas dinner,” said Colette Price of Tralee Soup Kitchen.
“Our volunteers dress in their Christmas finery and the hall is decorated, we had carols playing and crackers on the table and things like that. So we do try and make it a little bit festive” said Colette.
The kitchen will not be open on Christmas Day, but will open on St Stephens Day and every Saturday in the new year starting on January 2.
The inititive works out of the Solas Hall, just opposite St John’s Church of Ireland. Meals are served every Saturday between 12-2pm which is the only time the service is available, though take-away dinners are provided.
Any food, such as canned goods that have been donated by the public are left out for people to take home if they so wish. The majority of food served is kindly donated by local businesses and restaurants. The Church of Ireland also provides the hall for free.
