Couple opening shop on Christmas Day to offer lonely people a 'hug and a mince pie'

A couple are opening their shop on Christmas Day to make sure anyone facing the day alone can have a mince pie and a hug.

Shashi and Pallu Patel run newsagents Meet and Deep in Twickenham, south west London, with the help of their sons Deepen and Meeten.

The couple, who have run the shop for 35 years since arriving in the UK from Uganda, used to take Christmas Day off as their one day of rest in the year.

But eight years ago when an elderly neighbour, Dorothy, was scammed out of all of her pension money by conmen posing as boiler repair men, they invited her over for Christmas Day, starting a tradition that still lives on.

“She had no family and was scared,” said Deepen. “We warned others about what had happened to Dorothy, then people started giving donations for her, little sweets or food for her cat.

“We invited Dorothy over on Christmas Day. We gave her the big sack of presents we’d collected and she cried and said it was the best Christmas of her life.”

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From then on, the family realised that other people would be alone and in need of help over the Christmas period.

“Although it’s a lovely time of year, it can be tough for others,” Deepen added. “People feel they have no one to talk to because everyone is preoccupied celebrating, they don’t want to bring them down.”

The family began opening the shop on Christmas Day, welcoming anyone who is lonely to join them for a mince pie and a chat.

Their guests have not only included older people, but divorcees whose children are spending the day with their ex.

“One man who came in had just got divorced, so his children were with his ex-wife. He had all the food and the presents at home but no one to celebrate with,” said Deepen.

Even though Christmas Day was the one day off they had all year, the family still think it is worth going into work.

“My parents are getting a bit old, so we asked them if they wanted to not work. But they said no, they want to make sure they are serving the people who rely on them.”

Although the Patels are Hindu, they believe in celebrating all religious festivals.

“We have the tree and the decorations, a special meal, light some candles and have a crucifix,” Deepen said. “In Hinduism the main message is to help everybody in life, especially those less fortunate.

“Everybody should have somebody at Christmas, so we try to be that somebody.”

(Top picture: PA)