Join in Tribe's community Christmas lunch

People without their own tribe to spend Christmas Day with are invited to join in a community event at Tribe Clubhouse on December 25.

The venue, which is home to the charity Tribe Social Belonging, will be hosting a free Christmas lunch from 11am-2pm at 4/457 Oxley Ave, Redcliffe.

The organisation provides opportunity through community connection, hosting events and activities that bring people together.

Tribe Christmas Lunch Co-ordinator Ngaire Arthur says they hosted Christmas lunch for the first time last year, with 25-30 people attending.

“We had lunch, had leftovers for people to take home, hung out, made new friends … everybody got to have Christmas lunch with somebody, rather than be at home (alone),” Ngaire explains.

This year’s event will follow the same format, but people are asked to register online so organisers know how many people are planning to attend.

The buffet lunch will include ham, turkey, salads and dessert.

“It will be a chance to play games, hang out, have a few drinks and meet some people,” Ngaire says.

“They can do as much or as little as they want to. If they just want to sit and watch, so be it, but at least they’re here and they’ve got somewhere (to go).”

Ngaire says some people find the festive season challenging and the lunch is the perfect way to bring people together to ease loneliness.

“This is important because Christmas is a really lonely time for a lot of people. There are a lot of people who have family who are interstate or they don’t have family, they don’t have support networks. It just gives them somebody to have Christmas with,” she says.

“Christmas unfortunately is probably one of the loneliest days of the year. It just gives people the opportunity to connect with others.”

Ngaire says they don’t yet have sponsors for the event but would welcome the support of businesses in supplying or helping fund food.

Volunteers are also needed to help out on the day.

“Even if they’re volunteering to come in and talk to somebody, giving that person some company. Volunteers are always welcome in this place,” Ngaire says.

 To attend the lunch, visit https://events.humanitix.com/tribe-christmas-lunch