Eastbourne restaurant gives free meals to pensioners as part of charity initiative

French restaurant Bistrot Pierre in King Edward's Parade opened its doors to a party of pensioners, all nominated from its partner charity Linking Lives Eastbourne, to enjoy a three-course ‘menu Pierre meal’ on Wednesday, January 25.

Linking Lives Eastbourne is a befriending service aimed at older adults who find themselves requiring extra friendship and support.

As part of a charitable initiative held in the run-up to Christmas, Bistrot Pierre donated a free meal to a resident, carer or charity-user for every Sunday Christmas party booking of six people of more – which resulted in 30 free lunches for residents

Mary Northway from Linking Lives Eastbourne said: "It was one of those special events where the good feeling generated goes on way after the event has finished.

“Thirty of us gathered for the meal, a mix of volunteers, staff and Link friends on the scheme, and the chat and laughter was non-stop. One elderly Link friend sat down, looked around and said: ‘To me this is a miracle being here’.

“It was an incredible treat. Our very heartfelt thanks [goes] to Bistrot Pierre for their generosity and kindness in donating the meals and making the event happen."

Linking Lives Eastbourne is one of 17 local charities that Bistrot Pierre has partnered with in this initiative. All the charities have been chosen because of their work supporting older people in the community.

The seafront restaurant’s general manager Pablo Jimenez Robles said: “Community is at the heart of everything we do at Bistrot Pierre.

“Our initiative has been designed to support those most in need in our local areas. January can be a challenging time of year for any resident, but for the most vulnerable amongst us there has never been more need for communities to open their doors and welcome our residents in.

“We really enjoyed welcoming each and every guest from Linking Lives Eastbourne for a much-needed treat, a warm meal and an opportunity to create lasting memories.”

Dem Shish in the town centre also held a free event on Christmas Day to bring people together who would otherwise be alone.

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