An annual Boxing Day meal is expected to return for the sixteenth year, but the organiser said more support is needed to make the event a reality.

Regina Peniston highlighted that while her heart is set on continuing the tradition, she is still looking for people to step forward to assist.

“It has been a rough year for everyone, myself included,” she said. “People are excited.

“The community is asking around, people have been asking me if I will be back again this year.

“Unfortunately, I have not really had much response on social media, so it has been going a little slowly and it is a little difficult because I feel like I have to do this.

“I did have one of my customers from my job who was generous enough to give me three turkeys and three hams, but because we usually cater through MarketPlace, I have three deserving families that I will be giving them to.”

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.

This year, she said she hopes to feed between 100 and 150 people, if not more.

“There are people who look forward to this day every year now,” she said. “I was down on Court Street the other day and people were making sure it was still happening.

“I am really trying to get it done. It will happen.

“For the last 16 years this is what I have done, so I need to get the fire going under this.”

• Anyone who is interested in helping with the dinner is urged to e-mail Regina Peniston at regina.red12@gmail.com or call 704-0976