A West Bridgford drop-in centre opened on December 25th so that no one missed out on their Christmas Day dinner.
The Friary Centre, on Musters Road, prides itself on its ability to help people who are struggling and its mission is to “empower them to rebuild their lives”.
Homeless people, families who are struggling for cash and people with drug and alcohol problems, are all supported by the charity.
From mobile dentists to food packages and getting their visitors fit for employment, just about anyone who has fallen on hard times can get help here.
Kay Dhesi, a trustee for the centre, said: “On a standard day, about 80 to 100 people come to the centre, we’ve probably served around 2,500 meals over the past six months.
“These meals are cooked by volunteers, in our newly-developed kitchen, and the food is prepared from local produce and then there’s also community donations that we are very happy with.”
“We have a normal Christmas Day as best as we can make it, and we have more than 100 people come in.”
Video: What does the Friary mean to its visitors?
Founded in 1988 by Ann Bremner, the Friary was at first run entirely by volunteers opening one day a week.
It has gone on to recruit paid staff, support thousands of people, and offer services to people job seeking, struggling to manage debts or tackle drug problems.
The centre recently received a donation of more than £1,000 from a local bank.
TSB in West Bridgford forged a partnership with the Friary Centre at the start of 2015 and has been raising money ever since.
A final fundraiser of the year took place on December 4, where the staff dressed up in ‘Christmassy’ attire and sold tasty treats to customers.
Krishna Bathia, the bank’s manager said: “This gave us the opportunity to work closely with the community and of course the Friary, who do so much for their local visitors.”
Video: Kay Dhesi, trustee for the Friary talks about the centre’s plans for Christmas
If you would like to support the Friary, please follow this link.
