Colchester paratroopers put on Christmas dinner at CENS

Six paratroopers-turned-chefs from Colchester-based 3 Para gave residents at Colchester Engagement and Next Steps (CENS) a festive night to remember, putting on a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings before the battalion goes on leave.

Led by head chef Warrant Officer Class 2 Ash Jacobs, the team decorated the communal areas before prepping the meal for 15 residents and staff, who tucked into homemade tomato soup, followed by roast beef, gammon, and turkey, and a tasty dessert.

Ash, who has been involved with the charity since 2015, said there was a great atmosphere on the evening.

Dinner - the paras were joined by 15 residents and staff (Image: CENS)

“We would cook at CENS every Thursday night and I thought it would be nice to offer a Christmas meal before we go on leave,” he said. “This is the first one we’ve been able to do since the pandemic.

“I was concerned about whether the residents would enjoy it, but it seemed like everyone was having a good time.

“We all ate together and then spent the rest of the evening chatting in the communal areas.”

One resident was so moved by the kindness of the paras that he made an impromptu speech.

He said: “I got choked up when I saw the dining room. They had put a lot of time into making it special for us. It reminded me of being a child sat around the table with my family.

“The guys were down-to-earth and friendly; we had a good laugh. I never expected to have such a nice time whilst being homeless. It let me forget about my situation for the evening.”

The charity, based in Alexandra Road, was grateful for the support given the challenges it is facing because of the cost-of-living crisis and greater demands for its services.

It offers its residents support, help, advice, and care every day, which has led to its move-on success rate increasing to 65 per cent this year.

If you would like to support the work of CENS, visit cens4homeless.org.uk or call 01206 549885.