Banbury area pub owner teams up with foodbank to offer Christmas Day meals to families in need

Trevor Brown, the owner of the Pickled Ploughman pub in Adderbury, has decided to close his pub for Christmas Day to its 'usual guests'. Instead they have asked the foodbank in Banbury to nominate families who would welcome a Christmas lunch at the pub's expense.

Mr Brown took it a step further and made the following post on the pub's Facebook page: "My team have volunteered to work for nothing. I will donate the ingredients, drinks and some rubbish jokes. I would also like to invite families just from Adderbury for whom this Christmas would otherwise probably be dismal. If that is you then please DM me.

"We are a smallish pub and very sadly we cannot feed everyone who deserves a day without worrying about debt, unemployment etc. I am hopeful that a local taxi firm will help out by bringing and collecting our guests."

He has also started a collection of wrapped Christmas presents for the families who arrive on Christmas Day. They have requested the wrapped presents include a label indicating age/gender.

Mr Brown added: "I have in my life experienced times of real need. In the recession of the 80’s I was unemployed, mortgaged to the hilt and had two young kids.

"I have never forgotten that daily and unending battle to pay the bills, put food on the table, heat the home, clothe the kids. Christmas was a nightmare.

"Life has been good to me since and despite all that my business has suffered this year, if I can spare just a few families that anguish for just a few magical hours, then so be it.

"When I bought the pub I wanted it to trade ethically. Our maxim of 'At the edge of the village but at the heart of the community' is our first principle.

"My folks are 89 and 92. I dare not share Christmas with them despite the government relaxation. That left me free to do other things on this special day and I chose to do this.

"My team have humbled me by sacrificing their Christmas Day to help others, but then they are an amazing group of people. This is more about them than me."

When asked what led Mr Brown to start the community help scheme he said: "I could have just sat and drank fine wine and eaten great food, but surely Christmas is about more than that?"

Giving and helping out the community is not something new for Mr Brown and the Pickled Ploughman.

The pub served the community throughout the lockdowns and launched two separate fundraising campaigns to help Katharine House Hospice. Katharine House Hospice, also based in Adderbury, is a registered charity, which provides support for people in in the Banbury area who are facing life-limiting illnesses.

Mr Brown and the Pickled Ploughman received the first unsung hero award personally delivered by Banbury's MP Victoria Prentis for his service to the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

After lockdown started the Pickled Ploughman was among several Banbury area pubs to modify their business model to offer the public a take-away service. The pub also offered a pop-up shop and fresh fruit and veg market along with its takeaway and delivery services.

The pub also delivered meals to the vulnerable in the community during the lockdown.

In the autumn the pub launched a meal-deal scheme, which included the purchase of an invisible pint of beer. All the proceeds of invisible beer sales went straight to Katharine House Hospice.

The invisible beer scheme raised raised £5185 for Katharine House Hospice.

Mr Brown said during the scheme: "We give them one free meal as long as they buy at least one pint of invisible beer.

"It never appears because it is invisible, but it does appear on guest's bills. What it does is to raise much needed money for our neighbours Katharine House Hospice.

"You can buy a pint for £2 or a half for £1 and every penny goes straight to the hospice. Order as many invisible pints as you can, and help make quality end of life care possible in these difficult times.

"It's all part of us being on the edge of the village but at the heart of the community."