POLICE officers rolled up their sleeves and served up a credit crunch lunch for 60 of the city’s senior citizens – with the help of kind-hearted businesses across York.

The event was held at Clements Hall to give elderly residents the chance to enjoy a cheap meal and socialise, and it was attended by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Keith and Karen Hyman, the Sheriff of York, Coun Paul Firth, North Yorkshire Police’s area commander Lisa Winward and local councillor Julie Gunnell.

Safer York Partnership funded the hire of the hall and local businesses including Sainsbury’s on Scarcroft Road, Nestlé, the Co-op stores in York Road and Beckfield Lane and Tesco at Askham Bar contributed gifts for a raffle.

The pensioners were entertained by the Stamford Bridge-based group Vintage after the dinner and enjoyed a game of bingo.

The turkey was supplied at cost by M and K Butchers and cooked free by The Pig And Pastry in Bishopthorpe Road, which also sup-plied gravy, homemade cranberry sauce and homemade bread.

Soup was provided by York College, vegetables were supplied by Fruitique on Bishopthorpe Road which was then prepared by Scarcroft School and roast potatoes prepared by OB’s café Bishopthorpe Road.

The main meal was followed with mince pies and tea and coffee – made by members of the York West Safer Neighbourhood Team who also gave visitors crime prevention advice.

PCSO Keith Hall, of the Micklegate safer neighbourhood team, said: “It was a fantastic community event, bringing elderly members from the Micklegate Outer ward as well as residents from Acomb together . The event enabled them to get together , have some company and quality time with friends and have a fantastic meal at a very reasonable price.

“Some mentioned that they would be spending Christmas alone.

This was also a great opportunity to have a large number of people in one place – as well as to pass on crime prevention advice."