Wet weather failed to dampen spirits at the annual Court Street Christmas Lunch, with more than 130 people enjoying a hot meal on Boxing Day.

Regina Peniston, the event organiser, said that while the dinner was forced to move into the New Testament Church of God because of the steady rain outside, the event was still a success.

“People were waiting outside the door when they didn’t see me outside,” she said. “We had to do it this way because of the weather.

“On Christmas I was hoping that it wouldn’t rain, but when I woke up it was raining. I was standing at the door just waiting for it to stop and it didn’t.

“We did it in the rain last year, and it was very difficult so we thought that we would do it this way.”

Ms Peniston said the church was happy to host the dinner at the last minute.

“The pastor was here to open the church for us and help us bring the food in on Christmas Eve,” she said. “They were more than gracious hosts.”

Ms Peniston launched the annual Boxing Day meal in 2009 after she herself spent a Christmas homeless.

Since then, every year she has worked with a team of volunteers on Court Street to offer people in need a traditional Christmas meal with all the trimmings.

Even the Covid-19 pandemic failed to stop the event, with Ms Peniston and others delivering food so that they could adhere to restrictions.

While she had worried about support for this year’s event, Ms Peniston said that a number of volunteers came forward to assist with not only handing out food at the church, but deliver it to those on the streets and at their homes.

“I have some kids, some teenagers this year who are walking around the streets with bags of food for people, which I think is pretty amazing,” she said. “It all came together.

“I had even more people who wanted to come, but because of the rain I had to tell them they probably wouldn’t be needed.”

She also found support from MultiStrat Re, who served as sponsors for the dinner.

Ms Peniston pledged that the tradition would continue next year when the dinner celebrates its seventeenth year.

“If I am on this Earth, it will happen,” she said.