Regina Peniston planned to take a year off from her annual Boxing Day charity dinners.

But, for the eleventh year in a row, she was joined by a small army of volunteers on Court Street to provide a hot holiday meal to more than 100 people in need.

Ms Peniston said: “I had not planned on doing it this year because I had moved to a new house and my kitchen wasn’t big enough.

“I was going to cancel it for this year, but then I heard that other charity dinners had been cancelled, so I had to do it. “I put this together in four days on Facebook.”

Ms Peniston said she drummed up support from professional services firm KPMG and reinsurance firm MultiStrat Re, as well as Heritage Worship Centre.

She added: “I remember what it was like to not have a Christmas meal on Christmas, being out here, homeless and run down on bad luck — my life was a mess.

“I have to give back. I can’t not go and do this over the holidays. It’s a sacrifice I have to make.”

Ms Peniston said the event, which was run throughout the day, was a success, despite the short timeframe to organise it.

She said: “We had 100 plates, and now the plates are gone. We’re giving out food in cups and foil now.

“We are almost done with our food, and whatever we have left we will be taking down to the shelter.

“We made a lot of people happy today.

“They are very happy that I’m out here again this year. Happy and grateful.”

Ms Peniston is already looking forward to next year.

She said: “I will make sure to start planning earlier.”