THE Salvation Army is offering festive hospitality to scores of York residents who would otherwise face Christmas Day on their own.

Major Sheila Dunkinson says Christmas can be a difficult day for some people living on their own but the Salvation Army will ensure more than 60 guests can celebrate the day with friendship, food and fun.

Guests will enjoy coffee, mince pies and carols, games and entertainment, a full Christmas Lunch and a visit from the Lord Mayor and the Civic Party.

Each guest will also return home with a bag of goodies and a Christmas gift.

“Our volunteer team make the day very special for our guests and our volunteer drivers provide help for those who need transport,” she said.

She said the management and committee of York Sports Club in Shipton Road, York, had generously offered the club to used free of charge as a venue for the day, for the second year running, following the closure last year of the Salvation Army’s old Citadel in Gillygate.

“The facilities are excellent and the parking provides easy access even for the most infirm,” she said.

She added that anyone interested in taking up the invitation, or knowing someone who might benefit from it, and would like details and an invitation, should phone The Salvation Army on 01904 690697 or go to www.YorkSA.org.uk.

She said there were already enough volunteers available for the day, with about 35 people helping out each year, and no more were needed.

Meanwhile, the Salvation Army is still planning to open a new purpose-built HQ after leaving its headquarters of more than 130 years in 2015.

The historic York Citadel, opened in 1883 by the Lord Mayor, was sold, leaving the organisation operating for the time being from three separate locations in the city, said corps officer Major Andrew Dunkinson at the time.

He said then that the Salvation Army in York was ‘here to stay and it needed to begin the work of identifying a new site on which to build for the future’.

He said yesterday it was still based at Burton Green but had the capital funds available to open a new HQ.

It had not yet chosen a location for the new HQ, which would ideally be a purpose-built building but might involve the conversion of an existing building.

Major Dunkinson said previously that people were increasingly finding themselves alone at Christmas, either through bereavement or because family or friends were not accessible or available. “That’s why our Christmas Day lunch is so important.”