Volunteers Spread Christmas Cheer by Delivering 70 Festive Meals Across County Louth

On Christmas Day, volunteers from across County Louth gave the gift of time, kindness, and connection by delivering 70 festive meals to vulnerable members of the community who would otherwise have spent the day alone.

As part of Louth Volunteer Centre’s Festive Friends programme, volunteers collected meals and small gifts before setting out to visit older people and individuals who had been identified as having no Christmas dinner or company.

Each volunteer spent between 30 minutes and an hour with the person they visited, offering companionship, conversation, and reassurance on what can be a very isolating day.

The Festive Friends programme has been running since 2021 and was created to address loneliness and food insecurity during the Christmas period.

This year saw a record number of referrals, reflecting growing need across the county.

Thanks to the generosity and commitment of volunteers, every referred person received a meal, a gift, and a friendly face on Christmas Day.

For many recipients, the visit from a Festive Friend was the only social interaction they had that day.

Volunteers described the experience as deeply meaningful, with simple conversations, shared memories, and laughter making a powerful difference.

Kayleigh Mulligan, Manager of Louth Volunteer Centre, said the impact of the day went far beyond the meals delivered.

‍“While the food is important, it’s the human connection that really matters. Our volunteers didn’t just deliver meals — they delivered companionship, dignity, and a sense that people in our community are cared for and remembered.”Louth Volunteer Centre would like to sincerely thank every volunteer who gave their time on Christmas Day, as well as those who supported the programme behind the scenes.

Their kindness ensured that 70 people across the county felt less alone and more connected during the festive season.

The success of this year’s Festive Friends programme highlights the power of community and the difference that volunteering can make — not just at Christmas, but all year round.