A CHARITABLE Chard couple are trying to spread the Christmas cheer further next year to make sure no one spends the day alone.
Heather Jerram and partner Chris Brooke have offered up a seat at their table to eat Christmas dinner to help combat loneliness in the community. 
Each year for the past eight years, the couple make the gesture to as many people as possible and put the offer out on social media. 
It makes former community worker Heather sad to think of anyone eating alone on December 25, and she dreams one day to be able to pack a local hall with members of the community to enjoy a big turkey dinner.
The spirited 54-year-old told the News: “This is just something we both like to do.
“We’ve both had Christmases on our own in the past, and when Chris moved in with me we started thinking along the same sort of lines and wanted to open up our home.
“We want people to know they don’t have to spend it alone and we want to try to provide a meal for somebody who might not be able to cook or who might not see the point in cooking for one.
“We’re not particularly religious – we just believe in helping others and doing what we can for others all the year round.
“We like to feel we’re giving something back.
“It’s all about the spirit of Christmas, and it’s not always about the presents under the tree, but the spirit of community and family.”
Though nobody took them up on their offer this year, the couple did cook a dinner for an elderly lady and take it to her in her home, and Heather hopes that spreading the message might let people know the offer is genuine and will bring a few more people together next year.
She said: “We cooked a dinner and plated it up for an 85-year-old lady who we’ve known, but not seen for many years.
“It came up in conversation with a mutual friend that she’d be spending Christmas alone, so we offered to cook her a dinner and she was over the moon.
“I saw it a lot when I was a community worker and it does make me feel sad, so we’d love people to come and join us at our Christmas table.
“We’re pretty easy going – if you’re a bit nervous or can’t really cut up your food yourself, we don’t care – we want you to enjoy dinner with us.
“What I’d really love is to one day hire somewhere like the Crowshute Community Centre and have three or four turkeys on the go, and get everyone together to make sure no one spends it alone.
“I just want to wish everyone a happy new year and our offer will stand again next Christmas.”