Christmas comes once a Year and when it does it brings Bergh Apton ‘Older Peoples and Home Alone Lunch’! 

The event is now regarded as almost a fixture in the calendar, always highly successful and deeply appreciated by all who attend.  However, this is not an accident!  It takes a year of preparation by an army of enthusiastic volunteers led by ubiquitous Kevin (who else?) and the Lunch Committee and like so many of our Village community events, really is a team effort.  This is Bergh Apton, this is what we do!

This year the lunch catered for 86 villagers plus guests and helpers, a total of over one hundred which is probably saturation level for the Hall.

 Funding comes from a range of different sources including the New Year’s Day Breakfast, Cryptic Clue sessions, anonymous donations and other grants from the Tenwinter Trust and the Village Hall.  Even suppliers are not immune – Macro and others offering discounted prices.  Just consider; the kitchen equipment has to be hired, the food (including turkeys and puddings) has to be sourced, table decorations, crackers, sherry and wine have to be bought or donated by generous individuals.  The entertainment is booked, the offer of Bob and his white Roller is gratefully accepted, Chef and the team of kitchen staff offer their services again, as do Major Domo and the brat pack servers! Invitations go out October/November and the tempo quickens…

The day itself starts at around 7am.  One turkey crown is cooked at the hall and the other two are cooked at their homes by residents.  The hall floor is cleaned, the tables put out, the cutlery is cleaned and polished, the tables laid and decorations arranged.  The ovens are checked and the vegetables, soup, stuffing etc prepared.  The volunteer helpers are collected.

By 11am chaos is in full flood!  Everyone has their designated task and the final touches are made.  Finalise decorations, vegetables into chaffing dishes, glasses on drinks tables, open the sherry, start to open the wine,  the diners start to mass, the Roller arrives, all three turkeys delivered and carved, drinks served …

Around 12.30pm everyone is seated and Kevin gives the Welcome.  Peter Knight says Grace and the lunch is on!  This is where the servers calmly jump into action and theirs is now a continuous round of serving and collecting from and to the kitchen as the courses are prepared.  The wine waiters are doing sterling work, doing it too well perhaps as further supplies are collected!  The temperature rises, windows are opened, the electrical failure in the kitchen is ably sorted by the emergency stand-by electrician(!), home deliveries for those not able to attend are dealt with, the washing up is continuous and seemingly endless …The buzz of conversation becomes more lively as lubrication takes effect…

3pm the eating part of the lunch is finished, the crackers pulled, the wine continues as does coffee, tea and cake.  Clear the tables, now we have a dance floor.  A brief quiet moment as we remember past colleagues and absent friends.  The lights are dimmed, the band strikes up and the dancing starts.

At last the helpers and kitchen staff are able to sit down and have their own meal whilst continuing to keep an eye on the main hall and deal with events as required.  Clearing tables proceeds discretely, the washing up continues apace.

4.30pm the diners start to drift away laughing, chatting, shouting seasonal greetings, some more stable than others – who fell off their cycle twice before negotiating The Street corner?

5pm most have now left, clear up now in full progress.  Tables, chairs, floors, decorations, final kitchen clearance, rubbish outside, check car-park.  Helpers wearily, but pumped up with the adrenalin of a job well done, take their leave.

6pm the Hall is empty, check lights, lock up, peace… but surely you can still hear the echoes of another fabulous day?  Congratulations to all, Happy New Year!

by Derek Blake