The Care Leavers Christmas Dinner - Herefordshire

Aim

Bringing together young care leavers 18–25, on Christmas Day 2026 in Herefordshire for a celebration filled with good food, gifts and fun.

Care-experienced young people are those who spent time in foster care, kinship care or children’s homes when growing up. When they are very young adults, they may be living alone away from their friends and family. They are twice as likely to report feeling lonely most or all of the time than other young people in the general population. Christmas can be a particularly isolating time when other people are busy with their families.

For the very first year in Herefordshire, the Care Leavers Christmas Dinner is coming!!

Volunteers will be hosting a group of care experienced young people on Christmas Day to bring some festive cheer!  Volunteers act as hosts and helpers - some with experience and knowledge of the needs of care-experienced young people, some with their own experience of being in foster care or residential care.

The dinner and activities are inspired by similar dinners in a range of UK cities supported by the Gold From The Stone Foundation (https://www.goldfromthestone.org.uk/). The movement was started by the renowned poet Lemn Sissay, who has written extensively about his own experiences of growing up in care. 

Feedback from dinners in other areas shows us how important the day can be: 

“Having an event specifically for individuals in our position, and to be surrounded by others in similar boats, was the warmest and most incredible feeling; for once we didn’t feel like the ‘add-on’; we felt like we were fully part of something and were meant to be there. From the gifts and food, to the chats and activities, the laughter, kindness and warmth that everyone on the team brought, we just wanted to say thank you. So much, for everything.”

This is why we want to do it in Herefordshire - and beyond.  Care-experienced guests, who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day, will be invited from Herefordshire and neighbouring counties within reach of Hereford.

They will receive gifts, dinner and the day will be filled with fun activities.

The volunteers are raising money for the event. They are also on the look-out for high-quality gifts and decorations for the event. Anyone wishing to help or attend can email [email protected] - a sign up form will appear here soon!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 24th November 2026 at 12:13pm