An outbreak of kindness all over the UK.

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
Through restoring community, renewing civic life and claiming our place in the world, we build a society in which our extraordinary nature – our altruism, empathy and deep connection – is released. A kinder world stimulates and normalises our kinder values. -  George Monbiot We mobilise local communities across the UK to put on scrumptious and magical Christmas Day dinners for care leavers  turning Christmas into a time to cherish.   It takes one person ( How to Guide)  to start a Christmas Read more [...]

Hackney Christmas Dinner & Manchester Christmas Dinner

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
In approximately seven meetings over a few months my team in Manchester have found a venue and presents and food and a chef and volunteers for the young care leavers of The North West of England. They will have a magical  Christmas Dinner on Christmas day.   Last year we raised £10,000 (approx) in 30 days via crowdfunder. It has paid for  Manchester Christmas Dinner in 2013 and for this year. Back here in London, in  Hackney,  my other Christmas Dinner team have also found presents, a venue, Read more [...]

I need your help.

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
Asking for help is a big deal for me. I used to think it  was a sign of weakness. Now I realise it's a sign of strength and development. If you can't ask for help you can't grow. So help me please. With a few people I’m putting on a Christmas Dinner in Hackney  for Care Leavers on Chrsitmas Day.  You can find out all about us - The Christmas Dinner Team -   via our crowdfunding site. With only 14 days left we need a further £1,358 to reach the target But that's not actually why I need your Read more [...]

Hackney Christmas Dinner 2014

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
The  aim is to provide a Christmas Day Dinner in Hackney for care leavers aged between 18 and 25 on Christmas Day. Many care leavers are sat in flats, B&B’s, hostels, away from family or are sofa surfing and indeed living on the streets on their own at Christmas. Christmas is a reminder of everything they never had. It's often a dreaded day. Not if we can help it. We will put on a scrumptious Christmas meal and create a magical day to remember at a secret location in Hackney. This year  we Read more [...]

How Christmas Dinner 2013 was organised.

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
All details of how the team organised The Christmas Dinner 2013 for care leavers are within this blog.  Sally and The Tope Project who did a Christmas Dinner in London in  2012 inspired me to instigate The Christmas Dinner  for Manchester. Here’s how. On 25th February 2013 I wrote Sally at Tope  “I want to set up two Christmas for care leavers bartevents. One  in Manchester and one in Bradford. They should carry The Tope Project’s name so his legacy spreads.”  Sally invited me to a Read more [...]

The Past The Present & The Gift: Mary Anne Hobbs #TCD2013

Posted on by Lemn Sissay in Main Page, The Christmas Dinner
It's 5am Christmas Eve.  I'm staying  in the Northern Quarter in Manchester  for The Chrsitmas Dinner.  Throughout today I’ll share different aspects, different elements,  to  The Christmas Dinner. .  The first is is  Mary Ann Hobbs.   She's supported the Christmas dinner from the moment she heard of it  and she’ll be there tomorrow on Christmas day and she's offering something special to each diner. The tweet above is everything she needs to to make it happen. Each diner can sit Read more [...]