Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart hosted a Christmas lunch for children from John Smale Children’s Home as part of efforts to spread festive cheer and support some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
The event, held on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Bulawayo, was organised together with the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund Board of Trustees and catered for more than 80 children.
Holiday Inn provided the venue and meals, with the children treated to a special Christmas lunch before receiving presents and food hampers.
Speaking at the event, Mayor Coltart thanked the hotel for its support and said such gestures made a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable children, particularly during the festive season.
“These children do not often experience meals like this, so this becomes a real highlight of their year,” he said, adding that he hoped the initiative would inspire other businesses to support similar community projects.
However, the mayor acknowledged that the scale of need in the city remained significant.
“As generous as this act is, it is a drop in the ocean. There are thousands of children in our city who face serious challenges and need acts of generosity like this,” he said.
Members of the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund Board of Trustees said the event highlighted the importance of compassion and leadership that prioritises people’s wellbeing.
They encouraged the children to remain hopeful, telling them they were valued and supported by a wider community committed to their future.