2025 will be Operation Rudolph's fifth year to support our communities. We are all volunteers, a true community-led and delivered festive support project in East Devon. Started during the pandemic, but building on the tradition of a community meal in Honiton, we felt that those most affected by the pandemic might value a 'community check and support over the first Christmas lockdown (hard to think back right? But people were scared, Flybe had just gone 'bust' and we were all banging our saucepans for the NHS and keyworker heroes.......). Since then, we have expanded how we work, linking in with many other community groups and Councils, to make sure people know that their community cares, everyone is valued, and no one goes 'unseen'.
Operation Rudolph is here to help ensure nobody is struggling at Christmas. We want to help relieve the pressure on individuals and families who may find the Christmas season difficult financially or socially. The help provided by Operation Rudolph is open to anyone who feels they need it.
There are 3 elements to our project:
Community Meals - we have two community meals in Honiton (CUB) and Seaton at Pebbles Cafe. The Christmas Day meal is available for free for anyone who feels they may struggle on Christmas Day for whatever reason; this could include:
- Being alone on Christmas Day
- Finding it hard to fit a Christmas meal into the budget
- Finding it hard to prepare a Christmas meal
- Not having enough time, such as being a caregiver
- However, this is not an exhaustive list and we won’t turn anyone away. If you feel you need us, we will be more than happy to help.
We have volunteer drivers who will collect you and take you home. However, we also understand that some people may not be able to join us in person, as such we will also be operating a free meal delivery service on Christmas Day.
Gifts from Santa - We know that for many families across the UK, Christmas can be a financially difficult time. We want to help ensure no child is without presents on Christmas day. We have a simple message – ‘Please don’t suffer in silence, we’re here to help you’ – we have hundreds of amazing donated gifts ready to bring joy to families on Christmas day. So if you are struggling, we are here.
Meal Boxes - Buying ingredients for a Christmas day meal is a financial strain that thousands of families across the UK can’t afford, particularly with the impact of the cost of living crisis. If your family is unable to purchase the ingredients for a Christmas meal, we can provide an amazing box of ingredients from many amazing local businesses, including Combe Estates, Tesco & MKM, to help make your Christmas amazing.