Chesterfield restaurant set to open doors to elderly, lonely and homeless on Christmas Day

A Chesterfield restaurant will once again open its doors on Christmas Day to provide a free dinner and some much-needed festive cheer to the town's elderly, homeless and vulnerable.
Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara WonforEinsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara Wonfor
Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara Wonfor

Caring staff at Einstein’s, on Hollywell Street, have been offering a free Christmas dinner to the needy since the business opened in 2015- and say it has been a ‘huge success’ ever since.

As well as the traditional three course meal, presents are exchanged and staff chat to guests who’d otherwise be spending the holidays alone.

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Connor Siddall, general manager at Einstein’s, said: “Nobody should be lonely, hungry or out in the cold on Christmas Day.

Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara WonforEinsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara Wonfor
Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas, picture includes Connor Siddall, Reece Gascoigne, Teri Leigh Smith, Ellie Mai Wainwright and Tamara Wonfor

“We have around seven staff members who have volunteered to give up their time this year.

“The first time I helped out with the free dinner, of course there’s that moment where you think, I don’t want to work on Christmas Day.

“But honestly, you come away smiling and really happy to have made such a difference.

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“At the end of the shift, I had a warm home and family to return to, it puts things into perspective.

Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this ChristmasEinsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas
Einsteinâ¬"s are offering a free Christmas lunch to the lonely, elderly and homeless this Christmas

“I appreciated it all a lot more. Not everyone is so lucky.

“We get a few of the same people coming in every year, which is lovely. You get the chance to meet new people and hear their stories. I think this is so successful because of the friendly atmosphere as much as the food.

“It’s what Christmas is all about.”

Thanks to generous donations towards taxi fare from residents, Einstein’s are also able to provide free transport to and from the restaurant for guests who have mobility issues or live further out of town.

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“Last year we had a lady and her two young children come in, we’re open to families too,” Connor added.

“It’s not just for our elderly and homeless guests.

“Some people simply don’t have the funds for a proper Christmas dinner and we’d like to help out with that.”

The free event runs from 12pm until 3pm on Christmas Day.

If you or anyone you know would benefit from the free Christmas dinner at Einstein’s you can pop into the restaurant to book your place or call 01246 767177 to speak to a member of staff.

If you are a resident or business who would like to make a donation, such as taxi fare, to the scheme email Katie at [email protected].