YET again I read in your column last week that Nigel and Joy Kerton and Ann Harley set up the annual Marlborough Christmas Day luncheon. In fact, my husband and I started by helping with the Christmas Day luncheon at Savernake Hospital for, I think, two years, and when health and safety apparently deemed it inappropriate for us to continue, I offered to help Sara Hicks with the Jubilee Room Christmas luncheon. Others were, of course, involved including Ann Harley (sadly no longer with us).
One year I discovered that that would be the last time that we could welcome people and indeed give some lifts to get there, as whoever funded it could no longer continue to do so. I was insistent that it must go on, it meant so much to so many people who were on their own or had no relatives.
I appealed to Nigel Kerton who was still working for this paper and hoped that he could publish the fact that many would be without a Christmas luncheon. This he did and a lot of generosity occurred with local firms etc, so on we went. 
The mayor used to make a point of calling and on it all went most joyfully. It was then that I decided to move the event to the town hall as the numbers were growing. We volunteered as always, but seemed to be no longer really wanted. The last time we dressed up in a pantomime horse costume and galloped around. Perhaps in our maturity we should apply to go, as we are alone on Christmas Day, which is why we originally volunteered.
Please get the facts correct. Other original helpers also felt unwanted. Long may the luncheon continue and be a success.
BARBARA CLAUSON (Mrs)
Ogbourne St George
Marlborough