Christmas lunches were distributed to residents of Ropsley, Boothby Pagnell and Welby thanks to donations by district ward councillor Sarah Trotter.

Around 60 hot meals were produced by the Green Man pub in Ropsley and the Crown and Anchor in Welby, paid for by a £600 ward member grant from Cllr Trotter to Ropsley Parish Council and a further £70 to Welby Parish Council.

Cllr Trotter helped to deliver the meals on Sunday (20 Dec) with Phil and Leanne Docherty from the Green Man - helped in the kitchen by chef Emma Vickers and her apprentice daughter Faith - along with Ropsley parochial church councillor Sally Johnson, husband Adrian and daughter Ruby.

In Welby, parish council vice-chairman Michael Priestley worked with fellow councillors and Crown and Anchor chef and co-owner Peter Turner and Yasmine Baxter. Both pubs offered a choice of turkey or roast beef, with puddings.

Thanks poured in to Cllr Trotter, including a resident's letter saying: "I have just enjoyed a wonderful Christmas lunch - thank you very much. I do not know what I have done to deserve it but enjoy it I certainly did."

Cllr Trotter consulted parish councils across her ward to identify parishioners. She said: "I wanted to reach deserving residents, those who have been isolating and those in need of a bit of Christmas cheer.

"We started at 12 noon and got the last meals delivered by 1.30pm. My original idea was to have a big lunch party in the new village hall at Ropsley, but Covid restrictions put paid to that, so it became a meals on wheels project and I am delighted with the way it's gone.

"It was a case of spreading a bit of Christmas cheer in difficult times in my rural ward and I owe thanks to everyone who has helped make this a reality. It's been a great community effort.

"The pubs particularly need a huge pat on the back for what they did, especially in these really difficult times for the hospitality industry."