Festive gifting at Cirencester almshouses as Chairman joins Christmas lunch

The Chairman of The Almshouse Association, Willie Hartley Russell, was thrilled to receive an invite to the joint Christmas lunch for St Lawrence’s Hospital and St John’s Hospital almshouses in Cirencester yesterday.

The event was organised by the clerk to both charities, Mrs Jane Winstanley, and brought residents together to celebrate the festive season.

During the lunch, Willie Hartley Russell presented two Almshouse Association Christmas Fund gift tokens to residents Mrs Jean Archer and Mrs Gill Weedon. These gifts are given each year to almshouse residents (of member charities) aged over 90 and are funded through an invested legacy gift left to The Almshouse Association by Major Allnatt, a successful businessman and philanthropist. Seventy years later, his generous bequest continues to provide Christmas gifts to older almshouse residents every year.

Both recipients were delighted to receive their gifts and kindly posed for a photograph during the celebrations.

The Almshouse Association would like to take this opportunity to wish all almshouse residents a very Merry Christmas and a warm, safe and peaceful New Year.

posted 18 December 2025