Wayside Chapel Will Be Hosting 800 People At Their Christmas Lunch
Image: Image: thewaysidechapel/Instagram
Wayside Chapel is opening its doors to the city and inviting anyone without a seat at a Christmas table to join theirs.
Every year, Wayside Chapel hosts its annual Christmas Day Street Party, with 2024’s celebration marking the organisation’s 60th year building community and creation connection for Sydney’s most marginalised and isolated.
The community is invited to join Wayside for Christmas Day, kicking off with a light breakfast, and heartfelt service led by Wayside Chapel Pastor and CEO, Rev. Jon Owen. Guests can also expect a special visit from Santa, followed by a community lunch with all the trimmings prepared by Wayside’s chefs and served by 160 volunteers and 56 staff members who donate about 650 hours of their time to make the day happen.
A traditional Christmas menu will be served starting with a classic Prawn Cocktail, followed by smoked ham and turkey breast, and a series of delicious side dishes.
The three course meal involves almost 250kg of turkey and ham, 80 kg peeled prawns, 900 Christmas puddings, 115 litres of ice-cream, and 800 Christmas Crackers, all generous donated.
Glenn the DJ will be spinning the decks in the afternoon for those who want to get on the dance floor, and there’ll be kids’ activities to give parents a break. A highlight of the day is the famous Wayside Christmas Conga Line, led by long-time staff member, Chantal, which snakes its way down Hughes Street and beyond.
More and more people feeling the pinch
The cost of living is affecting more and more people by the day, with those at the margins feeling it even harder. Wayside has seen this play out on the streets, with a steep increase in visitors of its Kings Cross and Bondi Community Service Centres over the last year.
Wayside Chapel’s recent internal Impact Statistics revealed a 57% increase in demand for meals than the same period in 2022, with twice as many people seeking referrals for housing and other services over this period.
The city is also seeing increasing rates of homelessness. In 2024, 2,037 people were counted as sleeping rough, a 26% increase compared to 2023.
“The pressures are real. People are doing it tougher than ever, and we are seeing people present with increasingly complex mental health needs,” said Rev. Owen.
“Christmas Day at Wayside embodies the work we do with the community. There is always a seat at the table here, on Christmas Day and every other day.”
For those who can’t attend the Street Party, you can still make a difference by sponsoring a Christmas lunch for someone experiencing homelessness for as little as $27 with the Wayside Chapel’s Donate a Plate initiative, which is aiming to raise $1.4 million this year.
Event Details
Where: 29 Hughes Street Potts Point
9:00AM – Breakfast starts being served
10:00 AM – Christmas service led by CEO and Pastor Rev. Jon Owen
10:30AM – Choir performance
11:30 AM – Community Lunch service starts
Christmas Conga Line happens after lunch
2:30 PM – Christmas event finish time and pack up as street is opened again to traffic.
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