Selfless 86-year-old to host Christmas Day party for lonely members of Northampton community - as she has done for more than 30 years

A selfless 86-year-old will host a Christmas Day party for lonely members of the Northampton community - as she has done for more than 30 years.

Pat Johnson first started the party for lonely, older people in 1987 when the Abbey Centre in East Hunsbury opened.

Over the period of 34 years, Pat and an army of volunteers have hosted the party every year since, except for last year due to the pandemic when volunteers delivered care packages on December 25 instead.

On average, between 50 and 55 people who have been specifically invited attend every year and enjoy company, which they might not have otherwise got.

Pat said: “Someone used to do a Christmas Day party in the town and I used to do a bit of volunteer driving and take people to it so I knew what it meant to them.

“I wanted to do it in our local area but we couldn’t do it in our church.

“When the Abbey Centre was built we did it on the first Christmas we could and we’ve done it ever since.”

The day includes a meet and a greet with sherry, a Christmas dinner, entertainment, a goody bag, a visit and present from Father Christmas and tea.

Guests are also picked up from their homes and taken back at the end of the day by volunteer drivers.

Pat added: “We have a whole army of people who prepare the vegetables and dinner and the room on Christmas Eve. Children like to help lay the table.

“We then have more volunteers on Christmas Day doing various jobs but generally chatting to everyone and making sure everyone has a good day.

“These people are there because they’re lonely. They have families that live a long way away or they don’t have family at all.

“We have some who say they haven’t been out for Christmas for years so it’s good for them.

“They are always very appreciative of it and look forward to it to the point when some guests will leave and say ‘see you next year’.”

After decades of dedicating her Christmas Day to others, Pat shows no sign of stopping as she says it is ‘my Christmas Day too’.

Guests have to be invited to the party as due to church rules, the team cannot accept anyone unknown on the day, but Pat says they invite people from across town from NN1 to NN5.

Attendees are asked to donate £2 per person for ‘heating and lighting’.

Email Pat on [email protected] to find out more.