It won’t be lonely this Christmas: Morrisons brings older customers together with “Christmas Free Course Meal”

• Morrisons Cafés host free Christmas dinners for older people as Age UK reports 1.4 million will be eating dinner alone on Christmas Day
• Stores around the country will provide a three-course traditional roast with all the trimmings, crackers and gifts

Morrisons is serving ‘Christmas Free Course Meals’ to older people across the UK who may be facing the festive period alone. Over the coming weeks, over 300 older people will attend a Café event. Each guest will be invited by their local Age UK to come along and get together with others for a free three-course Christmas meal, with all costs covered by Morrisons.

The move is in response to Age UK’s new research[i], as part of its Christmas campaign, Together, we’re not alone, which highlights that around 1 million older people say they are more isolated at Christmas than any other time of year. Public services winding down, harsher weather conditions, shorter days, and health considerations can all make it harder to sustain social connections. Whilst many enjoy celebrating festive traditions together, Age UK found that a quarter (3.4 million) of all over 65s won’t be putting up decorations at all this year and 1.4 million will be eating dinner alone on Christmas Day.

Morrisons is fully funding the dinners, as well as crackers and gifts for everyone attending each event, with an additional donation from the Morrisons Foundation helping to fund transport and Age UK staff and volunteer expenses. The first ‘Christmas Free Course Meal’ takes place in the Café at Morrisons Totton store in Southampton with a further nineteen events planned in the run-up to Christmas across Morrisons stores.

‘Christmas Free Course Meal’ guests can expect a hearty menu of starters, followed by either a traditional Christmas Turkey Dinner, a vegetarian or vegan Christmas dinner option is also available, each served with all the festive favourite trimmings – roast potatoes, sage & onion stuffing, mashed potato, cauliflower cheese, seasonal vegetables, sprouts, Yorkshire pudding, cranberry sauce and gravy. Dessert options include a traditional Christmas Pudding, but also Hot Caramel Apple Crumble Pie or Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake, all with custard or cream.

Holli Kellett, Charity Specialist at Morrisons, said: “We are proud to be working with local Age UK branches this Christmas to give isolated older people in the communities we serve the chance to get together. We love bringing people together in our Cafés and are really excited to be putting on a wonderful Christmas meal for some of our senior citizens.”

Jade Darton, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Age UK, said: “Loneliness and social isolation are year-round problems but winter, and Christmas can be particularly tough. Instead of looking forward to a festive period filled with friendship, celebrations and joy, thousands of older people across the UK are facing Christmas feeling lonely, isolated, and forgotten. That’s why, we are delighted that Morrisons has provided festive meals for so many older people this year.  This thoughtful initiative not only provides a delicious meal but also helps to combat loneliness, bringing comfort and a sense of community to those who need it most. Because together we’re not alone.”

Full list of participating Morrisons Cafés hosting ‘Christmas Free Course Meals’ in December 2025:

[i] Age UK calculation based on data (weighted to be representative of the UK population) from Yonder online and telephone polling for Age UK, November 2024 (weighted sample of 2755 people aged 65+ in the UK, between 2nd and 29th October 2024) and ONS mid-year 2023 population estimates (published 8^th October 2024). All statistics are drawn from this polling unless otherwise stated.