A north-east football club swapped its usual menu of tea and pies for a full festive feast as manager and directors served lunch to “isolated” local people.
Peterhead FC boss Jim McInally joined the Balmoor club executives yesterday to dish up turkey and all the trimmings to 36 Peterhead residents who are facing a lonely Christmas.
The event was part of the wider Festive Friends initiative, spearheaded by the SPFL Trust charity to reach out to socially isolated older people across the country.
In Peterhead, guests were joined at the lunch by children from the Buchanhaven Primary School choir who provided festive entertainment.
Club director Nat Porter said: “It’s people who are isolated in the community and don’t have people to spend Christmas with. We got the right people coming forward, it was good to reach out to them.”
The food was prepared by fellow director and catering boss Harry Fraser while Mr McInally and board members Rodger Morrison, Ian Grant and Charlie Watt served as waiters for the afternoon.
The event was supported by the local Rotary Club branch, who donated £200 towards the lunch, and local firm Strachans who donated food for gift hampers which were given to all those who attended.
Nicky Reid, SPFL Trust general manager, said: “Festive Friends is a very simple but hugely effective project which will allow clubs to make a real difference and provide a memorable day for hundreds of socially isolated elderly people across Scotland.”
In total 26 football clubs across Scotland – including Aberdeen, Elgin City, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County – are taking part in the project this year.