Here are the special events, activities and changes to opening hours over the Christmas period 2024-25 in the homeless sector across Oxfordshire. We are updating this page as details come in, but if your partner organisation does not feature here, and you think it should, please get in touch.
See also: I want to volunteer at Christmas and, to help beyond a Christmas day, all current volunteering opportunities.
Christmas Activities
Our Volunteer hub, Helping Oxfordshire Homeless Collaboration (HOHC), will deliver over 200 Christmas gift bags again this year. These lovely hand-sewn bags will be given to partner organisations across Oxfordshire to give to their guests and hopefully bring a smile to their faces. Bags will also contain a card so everyone receives at least one heartening seasonal message.
Our Christmas Events Calendar
Sunday, December 1st
Oxford : Community Christmas Celebration meal, 2pm at St Aldate's Church Centre, 40 Pembroke Street. Contact ACT for details.
Friday, December 6th
Oxford : Syrian Sisters free meal, 12-2pm. All welcome. (Venue: Rose Hill Community Centre, Carole’s Way, OX1 1HF.)
Saturday, December 7th
Kidlington : Cherwell Collective Eco Market. Shop circular to reduce the carbon cost of fashion. All are welcome. Complete with live music and sustainable food by Climatarian Kitchen. (Venue: St Johns Church, the Broadway, Kidlington, Oxford,OX5 1DD.)
Monday, December 9th & Tuesday, December 10th
Oxford : ACT Christmas Hamper Packing. See Christmas volunteering.
Saturday, December 14th
Bicester : Emmanuel Church Spacemakers + Icolyn Smith Foundation Christmas Free Lunch and Presents, from 11am-1pm. Includes food parcels for families who are struggling. (Venue: Emmanuel Church Bicester, Barberry Place, Bicester OX26 3HA. 01869 320021. Spacemakers is monthly every 2nd Saturday. Poster.)
Sunday, December 15th
Oxford : OX4 Food Crew Christmas Party, 2-5pm. Food, gifts and fun activities for kids. (Venue: Rose Hill Community Centre, Carole’s Way, OX1 1HF.) See their holiday meal fundraiser.
Monday, December 16th
Oxford : Free Mince Pies and Social, 7.30pm in central Oxford. Enjoy a mince pie or two with a cup of tea in the warmth. Provided by Mindful Refuge. (Venue: The Long Room, Friends' Meeting House, 43 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LW.)
Friday, December 20th
No events.
Saturday, December 21st
No events.
Sunday, December 22nd
No events.
Monday, December 23rd
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Tuesday, Christmas Eve
Oxford : Free Christmas Lunch at The Porch. (See below for The Porch's opening times over Christmas or use and display The Porch at Christmas poster.)
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Wednesday, Christmas Day
Oxford : Free Christmas BREAKFAST from 8.15-11am at The Porch. (See below for The Porch's opening times over Christmas or use and display The Porch at Christmas poster.)
Oxford : Free Christmas Lunch. Oxford Christmas Lunch (King's Centre) are serving a free sit-down meal to ~500 people. A volunteer collects guests, drive them to lunch, eats with them and takes them home so you get company as well as food. Families and children welcome. Bookings are first come, first served. To book for you or someone else, email Sara on sara@oxfordchristmaslunch.org or call her on 07535 314716. Sara can arrange transport if people book in plenty of time. (Venue: King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0ES.)
Oxford : Oxford Community Soup Kitchen are serving a free Christmas lunch and food parcels from 12-2pm. To give them an idea of numbers please call and book on 07759 712345 or email icolynsmithfoundation@gmail.com (Venue: Asian Cultural Centre, Manzil Way, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 1GH.)
Abingdon : Free 2-course Roast Lunch from 1-3pm at Peachcroft Christian Centre. A safe, warm community event for those who would otherwise be alone. Company and a hot meal. If you can't make it there yourself, free taxis can be arranged. To book and specify dietary requirements, call or text Kay on 07787 629198 or email christmaslunch24@peachcroftcc.org. (Venue: Peachcroft Christian Centre, Lindsey Drive, Abingdon, OX14 2RT.)
Bicester : Christmas Lunch from 12-4pm. Pay what you feel. To book a place, donate or volunteer, email: bicesterchristmaslunch@gmail.com or speak to a volunteer at the Open Doors Cafe. Free transport is available. (Venue: Open Doors Cafe, Bicester Methodist Church, Sheep Street, Bicester, 0X26 6JQ.)
Didcot : Free Christmas Lunch from 12-4pm in Didcot, for Didcot-based people on their own on Christmas Day. Please book in advance. Call Anna on 07789 428795. Some local transport available. (Venue: Didcot Baptist Church, 43 Wantage Road, OX11 0BS.) See poster.
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Thame : Free Christmas Lunch from 12.30-2.30pm. Full Christmas lunch and pudding (no alcohol), and free entertainment. To book, call 07885 911200, use their WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, or book a place for Thame online. You can also email communitychristmasthame@gmail.com. The website has an address for submission of in-person or postal application forms. Volunteers collect guests. (Venue: Masonic Hall, central Thame.)
Thursday, Boxing Day
Oxford : Free Christmas Meal at The Asian Cultural Centre served by the Oxford Homeless Project. Sign up for a place. Contact Colin on 07501 887753. (Oxford Homeless Project will also continue to run Wednesday evening meals on alternate Wednesdays. See Daily Services for details.) (Venue: Asian Cultural Centre, Manzil Way, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 1GH.)
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Sunday, December 29th
Oxford : Twixmas Festive Delivery by Botley Bikers. Details to follow.
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Wednesday, New Years' Day
Oxford : Oxford Community Soup Kitchen open as usual for lunch from 11.45am-1.30pm. To give them an idea of numbers please call and book on 07759 712345 or email icolynsmithfoundation@gmail.com (Venue: Asian Cultural Centre, Manzil Way, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 1GH.)
Sunday, January 5th
Oxford : Community Christmas meal, 2pm at St Aldate's Church Centre, 40 Pembroke Street. Contact ACT for details.
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Until January 8th
Kidlington : "Mid-day Mass-Distribution" 11am-2pm. Collect delicious food to take home and share with your family or loved ones. Just turn up. Pay what you can. Provided by Cherwell Collective, Savona Food Service and Oxford Food Hub. (Venue: WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington, OX5 1EE.)
Postponed to the new year
Kidlington : Big Lunch Email marketing.cherwellcollective@gmail.com for details. (Venue: Exeter Hall, Kidlington, OX5 1AB.)
Changes to opening hours over Christmas
ACT (Aldate's Community Transformation Initiatives) will run a Monday night meal 2, 9 and 16 December but not 23 or 30 December, when they will be closed.
Crisis Skylight Oxford details pending.
Oxford Homeless Project will continue to run as normal, providing meals on alternate Wednesdays 5-6.30pm. See above for their Boxing Day (Christmas) Meal.
Oxford Mutual Aid is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, 31st December and New Years' Day. Otherwise hours will be as normal.
St Mungo's teams will continue to operate over the festive/Christmas period.
The Gatehouse Community Centre will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Other opening hours remain unchanged.
The Living Room will be closed in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, all day on Christmas day and Boxing Day. It will otherwise be running as usual over the festive period.
The Porch is open Monday 23rd 8.15-11am. Christmas Eve is the day of their Christmas Lunch and they're open till 3.30pm. Christmas Day and Boxing Day open till 11am. Friday 27th open till 3.30pm. Saturday 28th/Sunday 29th open till 11am. Open as usual thereafter, including New Year's Day. See The Porch at Christmas poster.
Turning Point Oxford is open Tuesday 24th 9am-2pm. Closed Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th. It is open Friday 27th 10am-2pm. Closed Saturday 28th. Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st open 10am-2pm. Closed Wednesday 1st. On Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd it is open 10am-4pm. Closed Saturday 4th. Emails are picked up through the day. The hubs in Didcot, Witney and Banbury will all be open at the usual times.
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