A GREENOCK restaurant is stepping in to spread some festive joy by making Christmas dinner for 70 local children living in poverty.

In a heartwarming gesture Fenwick 47 is set to cook, prepare and deliver a delicious three-course meal for them and their families, with all the trimmings.

Manager Lynsey Penman and her team want to bring the joy of Christmas into the homes of those who are struggling the most, following one of the most challenging years on record.

They have teamed up with local charity Children in Poverty Inverclyde to make sure the most vulnerable families benefit.

Kind-hearted Lynsey, who is a mum-of-four, said: "We don't want to see anyone struggling at Christmas.

"My youngest is only one and I know how difficult it can be.

"We all want to make Christmas special for our children.

"I hope we can take some of the pressure off of the parents and they know they can spend money on other things.

"This has been a terrible year for us all, but there are always people worse off.

"Children in Poverty Inverclyde do great work and we wanted to do what we can to help in our own community."

The WBI group, who own Fenwick 47, will donate the meals and deliver them to around 30 homes on Christmas Eve.

The CIPI charity is working closely with local nurseries in the most deprived areas of Inverclyde.

Some of the meals will also go to Women's Aid, so that children forced to flee domestic abuse will not miss out on a festive feed.

Despite facing huge challenges themselves after being forced to close during lockdown, Fenwick 47 donated hundreds of meals to frontline workers in Inverclyde Royal during the peak of the pandemic.

Now they'll ensure needy families across Inverclyde will sit down to a three course dinner with soup, prawn cocktail and salmon en croute for starters, following by turkey or ham.

This will then be followed by a profiteroles and trifle for dessert.

Lynsey added: "We just want to make it as a good as Christmas as we can for people."

Children in Poverty Inverclyde founder Pat Burke has been deeply moved by the generosity of Fenwick 47 and others in the countdown to Christmas.

He said: "Fenwick have captured the true spirit of Christmas with this magnificent gesture for less fortunate families in our community."

More donations than ever before have poured in to for Children in Poverty's Christmas appeal.

As a way of saying thanks for the support they've received from many groups, the charity has decided to fund a further 20 meals from Fenwick 47.

They will be sent with to people who are still isolating or suffering as a result of Covid-19.

Pat added: "We have helped a number of people - and we want to continue to keep doing so."