CHURCH members, teenagers and businesses have pulled together to provide pensioners with a Christmas dinner.

Elderly residents in Longton have for several years enjoyed a festive meal at Longton Community Church, funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

This year, though, the dinner looked like it would be another victim of the council cuts, as reductions in ward budgets meant councillors could no longer support the event.

But Longton Community Church has led efforts to ensure that the festivities would continue for another year.

The church secured a £895 grant from religious charity Opportunity to Hope, filling the gap left by the withdrawn council funding.

Local traders provided vegetables and Churchill China donated some crockery, while church members and volunteers from the church's youth group helped serve the meal.

Around 60 elderly residents attended yesterday's dinner.

Andy King, pastor of Longton Community Church, said it was important that the dinner took place.

He said: "In previous years the dinner was supported by our local councillors, but that funding wasn't available this year, so we decided to raise the money ourselves.

"Local traders have donated fruit and veg and Churchill China has helped out as well.

"So the whole community has come together so the elderly people could enjoy a great Christmas meal.

"Some of these people don't really get the opportunity to get out, so this event gives them a great change to socialise while having a good, healthy meal. That is really important, especially at this time of the year.

"I think this is just the sort of thing our church should be doing. We want to be right at the heart of the community."

Rona Moore was one of the residents who enjoyed the Christmas meal.

The 61-year-old, of Lightwood, said: "I'm actually from Suffolk originally, and so this is the first time I've attended the Christmas dinner. I think it's absolutely fantastic that something like this is taking place.

"It's bringing the whole community together and giving you the opportunity to meet other people."

Margaret Shaw, aged 81, of Longton, said: "It's been a really wonderful Christmas dinner.

"It was really great to see the young boys from the youth club helping out.

"I'm a member of the knitting group here and we've made the decorations for the Christmas tree, so everyone is coming together to help."

Mary Wallace, aged 63, of Caroline Street, Longton, said: "I've been to the dinner in previous years but I was worried it wouldn't happen this year because of all the council cuts, so it's great that the church is supporting it.

"It is really important that we have something like this."

Josh Stokes was one of the young volunteers who helped out at the Christmas dinner.

The 16-year-old, of Longley Road, Longton, told The Sentinel: "We've been helping to prepare and serve the meal to the elderly people.

"We go to the youth club at the church and Andy asked us if we'd like to volunteer, and we were happy to do it. I think it's gone really well."