Seaside diners celebrating with friends and family by eating out this Christmas, will also be contributing towards a free restaurant meal for an older resident in their community.
The Christmas initiative by French restaurant Bistrot Pierre will donate dinners to well-deserving Eastbourne residents, in a first of its kind partnership with Linking Lives Eastbourne.
For every Sunday Christmas party booking of six people or more in December, Bistrot Pierre, located on the seafront near the Eastbourne Pier, will gift a free Menu Pierre three-course meal to a carer or charity user nominated by Linking Lives Eastbourne, redeemable throughout January 2023. This initiative comes at a time of year when many older people are known to be battling loneliness, alongside the ever-increasing cost of living crisis. According to a report published by Age UK, approximately 1.4 million older people struggle with loneliness and the festive season can be among one of the most challenging times of year.
Linking Lives Eastbourne has been chosen to highlight the importance of the work it is doing in Eastbourne. The charity offers more than just the befriending service it seems on the tin, with all round support for older residents hoping to get back to being part of the local community. From accompaniment to activities to in person visits, and even a monthly group catch-up over a cup of coffee, the charity and its volunteers are part of the fabric of Eastbourne’s culture.
“Friendship is the backbone of what makes Linking Lives Eastbourne so great at addressing loneliness”, says Mary Northway, Project leader of the charity. “Our friendships are formed through mutual love of human connection and recognising its importance as we grow older. We want to thank Bistrot Pierre for the offer to partner on this initiative this Christmas. We already have a list of people hopeful for the January meal – it is sure to be a wonderful event!”
“Community is at the heart of what we do at Bistrot Pierre”, says its CEO Nick White, “There has never been a more important time to throw open our doors and welcome in those most in need within the communities we are based.
“As a thank you to our customers who continue to support us, we thought it fitting to reward their loyalty by supporting those who are vulnerable this year with a much-needed treat courtesy of Bistrot Pierre and we hope customers will want to get involved and make a difference to the lives of older residents in Eastbourne. We are still taking bookings for our Christmas period, so we’re encouraging customers to try and be as generous as possible and enjoy a little bit of festive fun with us, which will also help those unsung residents in the area.
“I want to thank Linking Lives Eastbourne for their support and also for their tireless work with those in their community. And most importantly, we hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!”
For further information about Bistrot Pierre and to book a table this Christmas, please visit: www.bistrotpierre.co.uk. For more information about Linking Lives Eastbourne, please visit www.linkingliveseastbourne.com
