Wednesday 18 Dec 2019
Christmas Eve dinner at New Street station for Birmingham’s homeless
- Region & Route:
- North West & Central
Birmingham New Street station is staging a Christmas Eve banquet for 350 homeless and vulnerable people.
Network Rail is teaming up with award-winning charity Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS) to serve the three-course, sit-down meal on the station concourse.
While most people settle in to spend Christmas with family and loved ones, others face a lonely and bleak time.
Following the success of 2018, when 200 people enjoyed a festive party in the busiest UK railway station outside of London, New Street’s 2019 Christmas Eve banquet is back – and it promises to be bigger and better.
Pat Power, Birmingham New Street station manager, said: “Last year’s event made a real difference to those in the city who find themselves on the streets at Christmas, so we’re really proud to be bringing it back with the Midland Langar Seva Society with the help of local businesses.
“MLSS does great work nearly every night of the year across the Midlands and beyond, and it’s a pleasure to be able to once again host this special Christmas treat of a hot meal and a chance to unwind for a few hours out of the cold.”
The event will provide three courses of vegetarian food, non-alcoholic drinks, and entertainment in the form of a DJ, carol singers and Christmas gifts.
Randhir Singh, Midland Langar Seva Society co-founder, said: "Last year our service users enjoyed themselves that much, some even said it was one of their best Christmas meals, so all thanks to Network Rail for supporting us and allowing us to do the same this year.”
Last year’s event made headlines around the world on Christmas Day, including in India and Australia.
Midland Langar Seva Society is a charity based on the Sikh principle of ‘dasvand’, which involves giving 10% of your time and earnings to help those less fortunate.
Volunteers from Network Rail, the rail industry and Midland Langar Seva Society will work throughout the evening to cater for up to 350 people – 75% more than in 2018.
The food will be prepared by restaurant Spice Nation in Digbeth and the party is being organised by Monsoon Events.
Pav Shergill, managing director of Monsoon Venue Group, said: "It’s been extremely humbling to be able to collaborate with our suppliers to put an event for such a worthy cause for a second year running. As a small business owner from Birmingham I believe it’s really important to give back and support this event and the people it reaches.
“We are grateful to Network Rail for giving us the opportunity to put our services to good use and give the attendees a day of hope this Christmas.”
A section of the station concourse will be reserved for the event between 6.00pm and 9.30pm on December 24.
Any journalists wishing to cover the Christmas Eve meal must contact Network Rail media manager Chris Halpin on 0330 854 0100 or chris.halpin@networkrail.co.uk by no later than 3.00pm on Monday 23 December, as spaces for media will be limited.
Notes to Editors
This Christmas Eve meal aims to represent the principle of equality among all people regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender, sexuality or social status. In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of Langar (free meal) expresses the ethics of sharing, community, inclusiveness, and the oneness of humankind.
Midland Langar Seva Society
- Each week Midland Langar Seva Society gives out 30,000 free hot meals to the homeless in more than 30 places in the UK and internationally.
- 500 volunteers buy and prepare food nearly every night of the year, while encouraging the public to volunteer and donate food and kitchen equipment.
- As well as food, MLSS also hand out clothes, toiletries, sleeping bags, blankets, hats, and gloves to people on the streets.
Birmingham New Street
- Birmingham New Street is the sixth busiest railway station in the UK, and most used outside of London.
- Latest figures from the Office for Road & Rail show 43.7 million passengers passed through the station in the last year.
- An average of 170,000 passengers travel in and out of Birmingham New Street daily, on more than a thousand trains.
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
0330 854 0100
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk
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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
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