monthly lunch provided by charity Meals on Wheels.

About 50 seniors at St. Paul's Christian Education Centre in Paget enjoyed a full course dinner with trimmings including cassava pie donated by the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.

Before dining they were serenaded with Christmas carols by the church's pre-school.

And afterwards the four year-olds walked around and greeted their audiences with kisses and hugs.

The meal was made by about seven cooks and volunteers from the Paget Meals on Wheels programme which gives lunch to senior citizens on the first Thursday of the month.

"Normally we cater for 70 people but because of the rain less are here today,'' volunteer Mrs. Mingo Cook said.

"For three dollars the seniors can get a full course meal from October to June.

"And for every month we have a different theme. The lunches enable the seniors to get out and enjoy themselves.'' She added that seniors from rest homes and their own homes attend the lunches.

Meals on Wheels volunteers also deliver 112 soup lunches and desserts from Somerset to St. George's for seniors who are unable to come out.

"I enjoy coming to the lunches because I don't do much cooking. When I come here people are friendly and sociable,'' said senior citizen Ms Grace Simons.

"I enjoy every moment when I come here,'' Ms Emily Landy said. I'm blind but I still get to meet different people.'' And Mrs Hilda Twitchen said: "I come to the lunches every month but having Christmas dinner really starts Christmas off good.'' Mr. Leslie Pitcher said he felt that the day was a special day because he had Christmas dinner.

"We are senior citizens and the lunch is part of our Christmas.''