A total of 41 guests checked in for lunch on Christmas Day at Whitehill Village Hall, a free event generously sponsored by 17 local businesses.

The diners came from all parts of town to enjoy a special meal in warm surroundings with friendly company.

Preparations had started 11 months earlier, when Amie and Jason from Tasty Buns set about obtaining the necessary funds.

During the autumn, three members of the Men’s Shed constructed nine tray stands to facilitate the serving process on each table, and everything came to a peak on Christmas Eve as 16 helpers prepared the hall, the vegetables, decorations, drinks, coat rack and goody bags.

Christmas Day dawned to a worrying message – one of Santa’s reindeer had caught a nasty bug on his way to work, so the team had to come up with a rescue package for 16 guests who were scheduled to travel via reindeer sled.

A couple of extra drivers, plus a second trip by Clive Handy’s minibus, ensured that within minutes they were on their way to the fourth annual Christmas lunch in the village hall. Proceedings began only a few minutes late.

Cooks Jaki Partridge, Susannah Williams and Fran Handy produced an excellent traditional lunch, hot and efficiently served by the many helpers. A quiz, a bingo session, a raffle and guitar music from MC Clive took place between the courses and kept the assembled people entertained without interfering with the animated conversations.

As the guests departed they were each handed a bulging goody bag containing a cream tea, cheese and crackers, Lebkuchen and a small bottle of something delicious to warm their hearts.

The sponsors were 350 Burger, Altis Industries, AMK, AutoDan, Blacknest Golf, C & S Coachworks, Coomers, Flamin’ Tucker, Fresh Start, Gecko HiVoltage, Homes Estate Agents, Liphook Auto Services, Runfold Plastics, Strudwick’s property services, Tasty Buns, Woolmer Service Station and the Whitehill & Bordon Community Trust.