Christmas lights to be lit from November 19.
Call on residents to take part in Newham’s Big Christmas Lunch Week 12-17 December
Christmas is quickly approaching but this year could be more challenging due to the cost of living crisis. Against this backdrop, Newham Council wants to do all it can to bring our communities together at Christmas – and it wants your help.
This year, Newham is organising a borough wide campaign ‘We are Together at Christmas’ that will include a series of ‘Switch On’ light events from 19th November then, from 12-17th December, the Newham ‘Big Christmas Lunch’ week when the Council aims to host the largest number of Christmas lunches in a single week.
The Council will host ten lunches for residents in our Town Halls and Community Centres, but it wants local partners, businesses and the voluntary sector to support the campaign.
“We Are Together At Christmas” is designed to create moments of celebration. The Council knows that every day, many people in Newham experience loneliness with one in four (27%) residents saying they feel lonely some of the time. One in four people (25%) in Newham are food insecure and this rises to 35% of families with children and 50% of children in Newham living in poverty prior to the cost increases in 2022.
Councillor Charlene McLean, Cabinet member for Resident Experience and Engagement said: “Christmas is a time to come together with others to celebrate. For those of faith, and no faith, it is a really important time. But for many, including those facing financial hardship, it can be an isolating and lonely period. That’s why we want to encourage all our residents, businesses and groups to think about those around them who might be struggling to join in this Christmas.
“We know this is a difficult time for many households, but we have had difficult times before. During the Covid-19 pandemic our communities pulled together to support our most vulnerable residents, I am asking everyone who can, to tap into that community spirit again this Christmas.
“We want to see parties thrown across the borough to bring everyone together around a table, no matter how big or small, to celebrate the season.”
The campaign aims to bring the borough together in celebration at Christmas and will kick off with Christmas light switch-on events from November 19 – building up to Newham’s Big Christmas Lunch Week from12-17 December. During this special week residents, businesses, charities and faith groups are encouraged to host Christmas lunches across the borough, to create moments of celebration.
“We Are Together At Christmas” will feature 10 light switch-on events across the borough, 2 special Christmas lunches for elders at Stratford Town Hall, and a further eight local Christmas lunches hosted by the Council’s Neighbourhood Teams.
At a time of increasing isolation and loneliness, in part created by the current cost of living crisis, Newham Council wants to encourage all residents to reach out to one another – and celebrate in the true spirit of Christmas. The campaign is supported by the charity The Eden Project, and by our partners Tate & Lyle, Aspers and East End Community Foundation, who are sponsoring some events.
But the Council wants more sponsors to come forward, either to fund events or host their own lunches. If you, your organisation or business would like to get involved you can find out how on our website here.
Newham’s Christmas Switch-On events kick-off on 19 November, 4-6pm at East Ham Town Hall where Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE will officially switch on the Civic Christmas lights.
There will be festive live entertainment on the stage for all to enjoy, including performances by Oompah Brass, St Anthony’s Church Choir and Nelson Primary School. Children and families will be able to get involved with creative arts and crafts including a Christmas Lantern Making workshop with artist Momtaz Begum-Hossain. To book, please visit the eventbrite booking page. Santa’s Grotto will be open throughout the day and there will be plenty of hot drinks and festive foods to keep everybody warm!
Following the Civic Switch-On there will be ten further local switch-on events across the borough – the full details of all these local events can be found on the Newham Council website.
Help make the festivities rock by coming along to one of these free Christmas switch-on events and if you are coming, take a minute to think if anyone you know might like to join you and bring them too!