Friday 25 December 2026 at St Andrew's Hall
If you're alone, homeless or in need this Christmas, come and spend the day with us. There's a hot Christmas dinner, afternoon tea, entertainment, warm clothes and a bag of food to take home. It's all free, and you don't need to book.
Coming along on the day? Here's what to expect
49 days to Christmas Day
Our Christmas appeal
Every guest goes home with a bag of food and essentials for the days after Christmas. Last year, falling donations left us facing one of the hardest Christmases in our history, and for the first time in years we expected to buy warm clothing ourselves.
“Every extra penny helps us provide a food bag for someone who might otherwise go hungry.”
Your gift also covers the costs that keep Christmas Day going, from storage and transport to equipment. Anything we don't give out on the day goes to local charities that support our guests all year.
£50 helps fill 2 food bags for guests to take home.
Make it payable to Norwich Open Christmas and post it to 27A The Street, Brundall, Norwich NR13 5AA. This address can't take food or clothing.
Registered charity 1155547. Registered with the Fundraising Regulator (opens in a new tab).
A Christmas celebration like no other
From the moment the doors open to the last lift home, here's how the day usually runs. Times are approximate and can change on the day.
11am
Volunteers meet you at the door and show you to a table of your choice. Tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits come to your table all day.
12:30pm
A hot Christmas dinner, followed by Christmas pudding. Everyone on your table is served at the same time.
After lunch
Music and entertainers through the day, then Bingo and the Christmas Quiz after lunch. Past acts have included bands, singers, balloon artists and magicians.
2pm
If you need a lift home, ask at the transport desk and a volunteer driver will take you.
2:30pm
The clothing area opens in the cloisters, so you can choose warm things to wear.
3:30pm
Christmas cake and mince pies arrive at your table, and everyone is given a bag of food to take home.
5pm
Waiting for a lift? You're welcome to stay with us while we tidy up, until 6pm.
For our guests
You're invited to
Everything is free, including your dinner and food bag. Just arrive any time between 11am and 5pm.
Lots of children come along with their families every year.
If you live in the Norwich area and couldn't get there otherwise, a volunteer driver will collect you and bring you home. Book with Karen, our transport coordinator, by Wednesday 23 December.
St Andrew's Hall is in the city centre. The nearest car park is St Andrew's multi-storey on Duke Street (NR3 3AT), which usually offers free parking on Christmas Day.
Well-behaved animals are welcome to come with you.
Inside the hall, please don't smoke, vape, drink alcohol or carry weapons. The kitchens and Blackfriars' Hall are for volunteers only.
Pass the invitation on. Send it to a neighbour, a friend or someone you support, or print it out to hand over.
Give food, clothes and essentials
Many guests live alone or sleep rough, so small, single-serve, easy-to-open things help most. Tick what you're buying and we'll turn it into a shopping list for your phone.
Please include vegetarian options as well as meat, so we can cater for everyone.
Adults' and children's sizes, clean and ready to wear.
We can't take bulky items like duvets, blankets or towels, as storage space is tight.
Tick items to start your list.
Collection points for 2026 are being confirmed and will be listed here soon. Follow us on Facebook (opens in a new tab) to hear first.
Please bag items and keep food, clothes and other things separate. Food must be in date and sealed. Our Brundall address takes cheques only, not food or clothing.
Volunteer
Around 300 volunteers make Norwich Open Christmas happen, from peeling mountains of potatoes to driving guests home at the end of the day. No experience is needed, just a friendly attitude. You must be 16 or over on Christmas Day.
Register Your Interest
Date to be confirmed
City College Norwich
Prepare 500 dinners in the Hotel School kitchens, guided by one of the college's senior lecturers.
Wednesday 23 December
St Andrew's Hall
Decorate the hall, lay the tables, sort donations and help unload the vans.
Friday 25 December
St Andrew's Hall
Date to be confirmed
St Andrew's Hall
Put the hall back as we found it, and send leftover food and clothes on to local charities.
11am to 2pm
Welcome guests at the door and find them a seat.
12pm to 2:30pm
Serve dinner and pudding. You'll carry two plates, or a tray of six puddings.
11am to 5pm
Take orders and bring tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits to guests.
10am to 5pm
Make the drinks, refill the urns and keep clean mugs coming, in one-hour shifts.
12pm to 2:30pm
Plate up dinner at the hot trolleys. You'll stand in one place for at least an hour.
2:30pm to 4pm
Slice the Christmas cakes, arrange the mince pies and take tea trays to tables.
1pm to 5pm
Wash and dry up after lunch, in one-hour shifts.
From 10am
Date-check donations, pack bags for special diets too, and hand them out later.
From 10am
Sort donated winter clothes in the cloisters, then help guests choose.
10am to 5pm
Look after the doors, entrances and forecourt, in one-hour shifts.
9:30am to close
Sign volunteers in and out and hand out name badges.
10am to 12pm, 3pm to 5pm
Bring guests from home in your own car and take them back. Check your insurance covers passengers who don't pay.
10am to 12pm, 3pm to 5pm
Ride along to help guests, find addresses and make calls. No car needed.
Plan the day's acts from October, then be our MC on Christmas Day and run Bingo and the Christmas Quiz.
Ask about this roleA year-round role from February, making sure every task is staffed and every volunteer feels supported.
Ask about this role
Christmas Day is rewarding, but it can be physically and emotionally tiring. Take a break whenever you need one. The Crypt is our quiet room, and trained volunteers are there if you'd like to talk.
Made in Norwich
Norwich Open Christmas is put on by volunteers, with help from people and organisations right across the city.
Our dinners are prepared in the Hotel School kitchens, with a senior lecturer giving their time to guide our volunteers.
The team at St Andrew's Hall set out the tables and chairs and support us brilliantly, year after year.
Our home for Christmas 2024 and 2025 while The Halls were restored. Thank you for opening your doors.
Businesses and groups across the area host our collection points and gather donations for us.
Host a collection point, run a food or coat drive at work, or make a donation as a business.
Our story
Norwich Open Christmas was started in the early 1990s by Rosie and Mike Hope. It's still run by volunteers and led by four trustees, with Bill Ashton as Chair.
For most of its life the day has been held at St Andrew's Hall. When The Halls closed for restoration, The King's Centre hosted us for 2024 and 2025. Now the Halls have reopened, we're coming home.
Good to know
Can't find your answer? Call 01603 510751 or email enquiries@norwichopenchristmas.org.uk.
Anyone who is alone, homeless or in need on Christmas Day, whatever their circumstances. Families with children are welcome too.
No. Everything is free, including your dinner and your food bag, and there's no need to book. Come and go as you please between 11am and 5pm.
If you live in the Norwich area and couldn't get there otherwise, call 01603 510751 and choose option 1, or email transport@norwichopenchristmas.org.uk. Please book by Wednesday 23 December.
Yes. Well-behaved animals are welcome to come with you.
Yes, as long as they register too. Everyone who helps must be registered in advance and 16 or over on Christmas Day, and we can't take unregistered helpers on the day.
Small, single-serve, non-perishable food that's easy to open, like ring-pull tins, cereal portions and packet meals. Please include vegetarian options too.
Collection points for 2026 are being confirmed and will be listed on this page. Please don't post food or clothing to our Brundall address, which can only take cheques.
By bank transfer to Norwich Open Christmas Limited, sort code 08-92-99, account 65616390, or by cheque. Then let us know about your gift so we can thank you.
Anything we don't give out on Christmas Day goes to local charities that support our guests throughout the year.
Cheques only: Norwich Open Christmas, 27A The Street, Brundall, Norwich NR13 5AA
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