Ottery has a great tradition of providing a free meal for the lonely on Christmas Day. This tradition was started by the late Betty Williams seven years ago and continued in 2023, thanks to the initiative of Jacqui Taylor, Managing Director of Otter Garden Centres. Jacqui contacted Glyn Dobson and his wife Gay, who were the dinner organisers from the beginning, and once again offered to produce and deliver a free Christmas dinner to any elderly residents or couples who were alone on Christmas Day. This offer was not limited to Ottery residents but extended to the surrounding villages.

Glyn and Gay joined forces with the Ottery Help Scheme, and once the offer was announced, a fantastic group of volunteers immediately came forward and offered to make the delivery. On Christmas Day morning, they drove to Otter Garden Centres and delivered piping hot meals, surpassing the previous year's numbers and expertly prepared and kept warm by the Garden Centre's chefs, plus a box of chocolate for each household kindly donated by the Otter Valley Rotary to those who had put their name down and were looking forward to a meal in their own home.

Glyn and Gay Dobson would like to thank Jacqui and the hardworking chefs and staff at Otter Garden Centres, who worked tirelessly on Christmas Day to produce the dinners. They also express their gratitude to the numerous volunteers who drove to Otter Garden Centres and delivered the meals in Ottery and surrounding villages such as Whimple, Payhembury, Feniton, and Aylesbeare.

A special thanks go to the Ottery Help Scheme for their support, hard work, and partnership in making this a successful and happy occasion, and to Otter Valley Rotary for their generous contribution of boxes of chocolates. The organisers thank all those who took the time to spread the word and send the message so that no one would miss out on this generous offer, especially the Sidmouth Herald and associated papers, the Ottery Gazette and the local social media pages.

Throughout the many editorials of this newspaper, we have praised the work done by the many volunteering organisations in Ottery and those volunteers who freely give their time without expecting anything in return more than the satisfaction of a job well done. During Christmas, the town's great community spirit again came together, bringing happiness to those who need it most today.

One of the volunteers expressed gratitude towards the organisers for allowing them to perform such a beautiful act of kindness. They were able to deliver not only a warm meal but also a message to those who were alone on a day when many people gathered together. The volunteer believed there would always be people like those who participated in the occasion, ready to bring a smile and a message of hope to those on their own.

May the New Year be as happy and rewarding a year as the message of care you delivered. Glyn and Gay are looking forward to seeing you again in 2024 and thank you for helping them keep this beautiful tradition alive, spread cheer, and let no one in our community feel forgotten. Once again you made spirits bright, together!