The festive season, often painted as a time of joy and plenty, can be a period of immense pressure and anxiety for families facing financial hardship. The weight of expectation, the soaring costs of a traditional meal, and the fear of not being able to provide a special day for loved ones can cast a shadow over what should be a time of celebration.  Recent statistics show the cost of food and creating the Christmas dinner has soared by 33% in the past 3 years.  Many of our customers were already struggling before the cost of living crisis hit us all.

This year, the team at the Bangor Social Supermarket at Kilcooley was determined to lift that shadow for our customers who shop with us every week and their extended families. Through months of dedicated preparation and powerful partnerships with suppliers and our team of volunteers, they delivered not just food, but peace of mind and a generous helping of Christmas magic to our customers.

We are delighted to share that this year’s Christmas Dinner Delivery programme supported over 80 families – a total of 248 people in the  wider Bangor, Holywood and Donaghadee area, which is the catchment area of our Supermarket.  (Bangor Foodbank provides the service for Newtownards and the Peninsula area).

Understanding that every family is unique, we offered two options to ensure everyone could enjoy a festive feast tailored to their family needs:

1. A complete, convenient Christmas Dinner for 4 in a box, kindly delivered by our partners at Iceland’s Ballysillan branch.

A more traditional turkey crown with all the trimmings, accompanied by desserts, biscuits, and soft drinks.

This initiative meant that on Christmas morning, parents and carers could breathe a sigh of relief. The stress of how to afford or organise the centrepiece of the day was gone, replaced by the knowledge that a traditional, hearty meal was ready to be enjoyed.

Each package was packed with festive goodies, including:

• Christmas Turkey

• Gravy & Stuffing Balls

• Roast Potatoes

• A Selection of Vegetables

• Delicious Desserts

• Biscuits, Sweet Treats, and all the Trimmings

None of this incredible work would have been possible without the heart and soul of our operation: the amazing team led by Dawn and Susan at 1 Kilcooley Square and our sponsoring Department – DfC and the wellbeing team at Ards & North Down Borough Council .  Together with their financial support and our teams expertise and their compassion, organisation, and months of behind-the-scenes effort are the reason this programme ran so smoothly and reached so many.  Sadly we could have supported many many more families, we continue to seek additional funding and support to add value to the Social Supermarket programme, especially to deliver the wrap around support programme, tackling the underlying causes of food insecurity.  The team led by Dawn and Susan worked tirelessly to ensure every detail was covered, transforming the original concept and goodwill into tangible Christmas joy for our members.

To Dawn, Susan, and every volunteer and supporter who contributed time, resources, or kindness—thank you. You turned a potentially stressful day into one filled with warmth, full plates, and happy hearts.

The Bangor Social Supermarket is more than a food service; it’s a community. This Christmas, we proved that by coming together, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can share in the joy and comfort of a festive celebration.

Here’s to carrying this spirit of support and community into the New Year.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026.

The Bangor Social Supermarket Team