Gosport restaurant is serving up roast dinners to elderly people and carers thanks to the community

By Belinda Dickins

Community reporter

Published 28th Feb 2019, 14:03 BST

Updated 26th Apr 2020, 13:15 BST

A GOSPORT restaurateur is working hard to make sure vulnerable people and key workers aren’t missing out on the treat of a Sunday roast.

Looking after the community one hot meal at a time is a small team of kind people led by Maria Payter, who owns Trinity’s at Haslar and Trinity’s at the Lightship in Haslar Marina.

As well as offering a delivery service of meals cooked up by head chef Lily Chandler, the restaurant has taken on charitable deliveries of roast dinners to those who need it most.

It started with an Easter Sunday turkey dinner, and this weekend the Trinity’s team will be serving up the British staple to care staff working hard through the crisis.

The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Sunday roast dinner — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Sunday roast dinner | Other 3rd Party

placeholder image — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Sunday roast dinner | Other 3rd Party

Maria said: ‘There are some people out there not seeing their families or getting a hot meal. We’re trying to do the caring side of it because they’re a little bit missed out.

‘We’re all pulling together as a community and I thought they’re getting battered from all angles at the moment.

‘In this time of uncertainty I feel that I need to do my bit and what better than a lovely roast lunch to show our appreciation of being on the front line and looking after our nation.’

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The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Owner Maria Payter — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Owner Maria Payter | Other 3rd Party

placeholder image — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Owner Maria Payter | Other 3rd Party

Roasts are proving popular for the eatery, with the dish regularly selling out on Sundays, and this week they are set to prepare 200 which will include 100 for the Portsmouth City Council night responders team and their families.

Maria added: ‘If we can just say thank you with a nice roast dinner I feel like we’re doing something and giving them a little lift.’

After £500 was raised to cover the Easter lunches, the team started a new campaign for the carers and hope to continue this service with the generous support of the community.

‘Donations are always good because we can run something in a couple of weeks time for the homeless or families on the breadline, I’m open to ideas,’ Maria told The News.

The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Head chef Lily Chandler — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Head chef Lily Chandler | Other 3rd Party

placeholder image — The team at Trinity's at Haslar in Gosport are serving up roast dinners to people who need them, including Portsmouth carers and elderly people. Pictured: Head chef Lily Chandler | Other 3rd Party

To donate towards the hot meals for people in need, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/maria-wilkinson-3.

For more information about ordering from the restaurant, phone (023) 9260 1200 or email [email protected].

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Gosport Trinity