More than 300 seniors were presented with gifts and a meal at the 18th Annual Seniors Christmas Luncheon over the weekend.

The event, organised by Carol Clarke and the Bermuda Overseas Mission, brought hundreds of seniors together on Saturday to thank them for their longstanding contributions to the island.

Ms Clarke said: “This year we had 350 seniors at the luncheon. It has grown every year. It started back in 1998 with a little room at Admiralty House with three trays of sandwiches and two trays of cake. The next year we moved to Salvation Army and we had 100 people. This year we had a record-breaking number of seniors to feed, lavish and love.

“We had 60 raffle gifts that were donated to us, and every partygoer was given a party pack with gifts in it.”

The event was attended by Michael Dunkley, the Premier, Ginny Ferson, the Acting Governor, and the Rev Betty Furbert-Woolridge, the presiding elder of the Bermuda AME Church.

Ms Clarke said they had been receiving regular phone calls of thanks since Saturday.

Thanking the many donors and volunteers who made the event a success, she added: “Next year we want it to be even bigger and better.”