A FESTIVE lunch for more than 100 local veterans and their support services marked the first Christmas of the Veterans’ Support Drop-In Centre.

The event, held at the Bridge Conference Centre, was hosted by the Bolton Guild of Help, which opened the centre in September.

The lunch was sponsored by the Guild’s Bolton Veterans’ Aid Fund, SSAFA The Armed Forces Charity and the Tonge with Haulgh Forum. Tesco stores in Bury donated a festive hamper to raffle off.

Special guests included a small group of veterans from Broughton House, in Salford, along with Jonny Maude, now 96. He served with the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) during World War II and was a Beachmaster during the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Julie Hall and members of the Darren Deady Foundation were also present. Julie is the mother of Kingsman Darren Deady who, in 2010, died as a result of enemy action in Helmand province in Afghanistan. The foundation was set up in his memory and supports many vulnerable people in the Westhoughton area.

The event was tinged with sadness when it was announced that another guest of honour, Wilf Oldham, had died the night before. He was one of the last few remaining survivors of the Battle of Arnhem.

From January, the drop-in centre will be open every Thursday from 10am to 1pm and any veteran in need of support can call in.