Below you can find a detailed list of useful support services, Christmas meals and food projects being run over the upcoming Christmas period. The list has been compiled by the joint partnership of Lewisham Local and Community Connections Lewisham.
You can also download/print the information below by clicking here: Christmas in Lewisham 2022 – Useful services, meals and food
Services
- Lewisham Council Customer Service Centre 020 8314 6000 – open every day, 24/7
- Crisis Mental Health Line (South London and Maudsley 24 hour mental health support line) 0800 731 2864 – open every day.
- Advice Lewisham Closed 24th to 3rd January inclusive. 0800 231 5453
- Social services Gateway Open till 4pm on Xmas eve, 28th and 31st. On other dates staffed by Emergency Duty Team. Out of hours number is 0208 430 2000
Children & Young People:
- HAF (Children’s Winter Holiday Programme – activities and free lunch at multiple venues) Free activities and lunches for school-aged children and young people (aged 5–16 years – up to 19 for children/young people with SEND) getting Free School Meals. 19th – 22nd Dec, with a few dates after until 31st Dec. hafprogramme@lewisham.gov.uk Download the booklet to find an activity programme for your family: https://www.lewishamcfc.org.uk/lewisham-winter-holiday-food-and-fun/
Community Connections Lewisham
Phoneline open until 4pm on Friday 23rd December and re-opens Tuesday 3rd January at 9.30am. The deadline to request Xmas meals delivered to single people on their own is 14th December. 0330 058 3464
Unit D, PLACE/Ladywell, SE13 6AY
Open as usual – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 11am – 2.30pm.
Food, clothing, home essentials. They offer a range of fresh and frozen foods, and a more limited selection of non-perishables, toiletries, women’s essentials and incontinency pads. No booking required but do check the website for important service information as it is weather dependent www.lewishamdonationhub.org
DWP
Closed from 25th and open 30th and 31st.
Please make last referrals before 3pm on Fri 23rd. Referrals re-open 28th until 3pm on 30th and from Tuesday 3rd Jan. Missions continue every day but need to be requested in advance.
The Silver Line Helpline offers conversation and is open 365 days a year 24 hours – 0800 470 8090
Food
See Lewisham Local’s website for up-to-date information on general food provision:
https://www.lewishamlocal.com/lewisham-community-meals-and-foodbank-provision/
Free Christmas meals
These community organisations and businesses offer a free meal or food support for people who might be spending Christmas on their own, or may be struggling financially and need emergency food. Details can change so please contact the project directly to double-check.
Christmas Day
All Saints Church
105 New Cross Road, SE14 5DJ
Provide a Christmas Meal on Christmas Day 12.30-4.30pm. 020 7639 2889.
Catford Soup Kitchen (UCKG Soup Kitchen)
UCKG Help Centre 1 Bromley Road Catford, SE6 2TS 020 8698 3612.
Open Saturdays 11am-1pm, continuing with provision of home cooked soup, meals, and surplus food such as sandwiches, bread and milk to choose from and takeaway. Meat and veg options
Open as usual over Christmas, including Christmas Day – providing Christmas dinner 12 – 3pm.
Honor Oak Community Centre: Love Fellowship
50 Turnham Road, SE4 2JD
Christmas Day 2 – 7pm
A free Christmas dinner for people in need on the estate. To book your meal call 07957 198 304
Lewisham Islamic Centre, 363 – 365 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6NZ
Provide a Soup Kitchen from Mon 19th December to Monday 2nd Jan daily, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. info@lewishamislamiccentre.com
Taste Soul Good and Cummin Up Caribbean takeaway
389 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6NZ.
Provide a free hot festive meal on Christmas day.
For enquiries call 0783 142 3163
Boxing Day
Christ Church United Reformed Church Bellingham
15 Bellingham Green, London SE6 3HQ
Free Xmas dinner with entertainment for over 40s. Run by Tommo and Jan and their merry band of elves. Monday 26th December and Monday 2nd January, 10.30-5pm. Book by phoning or texting: 0771 2677 174
Around Christmas
The Constitutional
108 Rushey Green, SE6 4HW
Free Xmas dinner for Lewisham residents age 50+. 12pm on Monday 19th December – call Community Connections to book on 0330 058 3464
The Feast at King’s Church Catford
Catford Hill, SE6 4PS
Christmas dinner on Wednesday 21st December at 7pm.
Greater Faith Ministries
Community meal on Friday 23rd December 5-7pm for up to 30 people at the Leemore Centre 29-31 Clarendon Rise, London SE13 5EY. GFM are starting to do monthly meals, so look out for their January one.
Ichthus Lee Green, 23 Lampmead Rd, London SE12 8QJ
Christmas dinner on Friday 23rd December at the usual time of 1.30pm. Should also be open on 30th.
Pie n Mash
Offering an xmas meal at Deptford Square (opposite Deptford Lounge, corner of Giffin Street and Deptford High Street) on Thurs 22nd December, from 2:30 pm, all welcome
Food Projects
Download the free, low-cost food and Community Meals in Lewisham information sheet here
St Peter’s Church, Lee, SE12 8HQLast foodbank 17th Dec (with double food and vouchers) and first foodbank of 2023 7th Jan. Closed 24th and 31st. Contact Helen food bank director on 07549031729 or foodbank@afril.org.uk
The Ecclēsia (London City Mission) 1 Cornmill Lane, Lewisham SE13 7FY
We will be serving the public on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, both Saturday evenings from 8pm. We’re not open on Mondays 26 December and 2 January and resume the Monday service on Monday 9 January 2023. barleyloaves@ecclesia.uk
The Shaftesbury Christian Centre, Frankham Street, SE8 4RN
Our last day will be the 18th Dec. We will be doing Carols and food in Griffin Square in the afternoon. Open to all.
Lewisham Irish Community Centre, SE6 4AS
Closed over the 24th/25th December and 31st/1st weekends
WG Grace Community Centre, 1 Lions Close, Grove Park SE9 4HG.
Open as usual over Christmas, every Wednesday 10am – 11am.
CoCo Collective Ital Community Garden
73 Firhill Road, London SE6 3SE
Last day for the public before Xmas til the new year will be 11th Dec
Come out of Hiding
Glass Mill Leisure Centre, 41 Loampit Vale, SE13 7FT
They are doing a Christmas Open House event on Saturday 24th December where families can get Christmas meal hampers including warm clothes, mini gift sets and toys for children. Welcome to everyone in the Lewisham borough we have a capacity of 150 families and it will be on a first come first serve basis. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/wRbwigPpwyUcWH2x5
Downham Gleaning Pantry – Social Supermarket
Brook Lane Community Church, 27-29 Brook Lane, Bromley BR1 4PX.
Open Fri 9-1pm. Social Pantry for people on low incomes and affected financially in Downham. Residents pay a membership fee of £3.50 a week to choose from a variety of food. To book an appointment contact downhammutualaid@hotmail.com
Open every Friday for regular use till 16th December, open 22nd December 10-11:30 for emergency food provision for anyone who’s contacted us in emergency need, then closed until the first week of Jan.
367 New Cross Rd, London SE14 6AT
Open as usual.
Working with Bold Vision, Feed the Hill delivers food boxes to housebound people in SE4, SE8 & SE14. Boxes are delivered for free to those self-isolating or experiencing food poverty. https://boldvision.uk/feed-the-hill/ Text: 07748 713 212, by the end of Sat. for next week. Boxes are nutritionally balanced, dietary needs catered for. They run a small “social supermarket” on Wed 10am – noon for people on low incomes who may benefit from spending less on their weekly shop (£2 per shop, or free if you can’t afford £2) no membership required, please bring proof of address.
Open over Christmas as usual except 25th, 26th December and 1st January.
Lewisham Irish Community Centre, SE6 4AS
Last date is the 17th December. We have Give A Song as entertainment. Open again on the 7th January.
Kath’s Place We Care Community Hub
50 Friendly Street, Deptford, SE8 4DR.
Open as always Wed – Sat. Only days closed are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Collection from Youth First sites across the borough.
Foodbank finishes on Friday 16th and reopens 5th Jan
Email legendarycclub@gmail.com or call/message Andra on 07581566004
Multiple locations
Our last day open before Christmas is Friday 23rd (Catford Salvation Army) and we reopen on Tuesday 3rd (Lewisham Salvation Army).
Lewisham Islamic Centre Food Bank
Lewisham Islamic Centre, 363 – 365 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6NZ
Saturday 3rd December and 1st Saturday every month, 1 – 3pm
info@lewishamislamiccentre.com
Lewington Community Centre, 9 Eugenia Road, SE16 2RU.
Open Wednesday 21st December, Wednesday 28th December, possibly also Thursday 29th December (TBC). We will be back to normal on Friday 6th January 2023.
RMUK wellbeing will be doing deliveries as usual until 20th December. No delivery 26th/27th Dec or 2nd/3rd Jan. Normal opening times resume on Monday 9th January. Offering African and Caribbean Cultural Foods, fresh fruits, veg and Ital emergency delivery and doorstep befriending service for vulnerable households in Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark. Referrals can be made to rmukwellbeing@gmail.com Tel 07769813799. Deliveries once a week Tuesday evenings. Users must register. There is a £2 to £4 contribution required. For emergency food requests or to offer food donations, please call Chi on 07377871228 or Derwin on 07879652645
Ray Champion Room, 1-18 Allwood Close, Sydenham, SE26 4JP.
Open until 24th December, reopening Monday 2nd Jan, may be open on Boxing Day depending on demand.
Children and families Christmas Dinner 10th December
Annual Community Dinner for the vulnerable, elderlies over 60’s and homeless on 19th December 1-4pm
All deliveries slots full – Collection only.
We are open throughout December. We have added a few more days for extra support: Mondays 11am – 2pm, Tuesday 12pm – 2pm, Thursday 11am – 2pm, Saturday 11am – 2pm
St. Peter’s Brockley Food Bank & Social Supermarket
Wickham Road, Brockley, SE4 1LT.
We will closed Dec. 28th but will be open all the other Wednesdays, reopening 4th Jan.
Sydenham Community Supermarket
72A Mayeswood Road, SE12 9RP
From 24th November, new opening times: Thursdays 9-12, 2-3 (last entry 2.45)
Whitefoot and Downham Food Project
Hope Church 480 Whitefoot Lane Downham, BR1 5SF
Last Thursday open is 22nd December, they reopen on 5th January. Open Thursdays 7-8.30pm for those living in the Whitefoot and Downham area.
World of Life Church, Grove Park
72A Mayeswood Road, SE12 9RP
On 17th December they are providing 100 Christmas Hampers for needy families. This will feed a family of four, includes turkey and all the trimmings. Then close for the Christmas break and re-open in January.
Download the free, low-cost food and Community Meals in Lewisham information sheet
