How people across England are helping others at Christmas

Christmas is known as the season of goodwill - a time when many extend the festive spirit beyond their nearest and dearest.

Across England, meals have been organised to bring together people who are on their own and gifts and food have been offered to those in need.

"We are intrinsically compelled to help other people but there's something about Christmas time which fuels that desire," social psychology lecturer Dr Elle Boag said.

"We are normally quite selfish - we don't do these things all year round. But the holiday season gives us a sense of togetherness.

"As we reach out to our own families our thoughts are extended to those who do not have families and we want to help them."

Dr Boag joined colleagues at Birmingham City University in collecting hats, gloves and scarves for homeless people.

Here are some of the ways other people have been helping those in need this year.

A group of housemates in Abington, Northamptonshire, posted notes to about 370 neighbours to offer a helping hand over the festive season, the Northampton Chronicle & Echo reported., external

Aidan Ashby told the BBC: "We moved into the area at the start of September and we realised we didn't know as many neighbours as we would like.

"We are not fussed about Christmas but love the giving aspect and we know people are lonely or struggle financially at this time of year.

"We had a student reply by email to say he needed some help financially. Friends have donated money which we hope to give away soon."

Brothers Hamid and Asef Faqiri will work on Christmas Day to give away free turkey dinners to homeless and elderly people from their fish and chip shop in Birmingham.

The siblings, who own and run Classic Fish Bar in Erdington High Street, want to "help those in need and make people in the community happy".

Bailey's Fish and Chips in Diss, Norfolk is also giving away any meal on the menu for free on Christmas Day.

"No-one should spend Christmas Day alone and hungry," the shop's poster said., external

Barber Paul Lishman featured on the Chronicle Live, external website when he offered homeless people in Newcastle a free wash and haircut on Christmas Eve.

The service will be available from midday until 15:00 and there will also be free food and hot drinks on offer.

Mr Lishman told the BBC: "I don't think there's enough done for the homeless and I just wanted to bring a bit of joy to their day.

"We've had a lot of donations from places like Morrisons and Subway. It's surprised me how much support we've had."

A Cornwall man who once lived on the streets will be serving up breakfast to homeless and lonely people in Redruth on Christmas morning.

Paul Goldie, 48, found himself sleeping rough when he was made redundant from his furniture-making job.

He said his big break was meeting Christopher Watts who put him up in a shared house for free until he found a job.

Mr Goldie, who is now canteen manager at food firm Tulip in Redruth, will be dishing up Gweal an Tops Centre, on School Lane between 9:30 and 11:30.

"It's a very lonely world being homeless and I know how that feels," he said.

"It will be great to give them a meal and just have someone to talk to."

A London restaurant is offering free meals to homeless and elderly people on Christmas Day so "no-one eats alone".

Shish, a Turkish restaurant in Sidcup, said: "No matter what religion, culture or language we speak we should help people."

Restaurant manager Irfan Can Genc said he hoped the offer would inspire people to "look after each other".

A village pub in Cornwall has brought together 25 people who faced a lonely Christmas for a festive feast.

The Meet and Treat Christmas lunch was hosted at The Brea Inn, near Camborne, organised by landlady Barbara Laffin.

The idea was suggested by Anne Thorn, a friend of the landlady, who made an initial donation to fund the lunch to which local companies donated food.

Ms Thorn said: "I live alone and don't have any family to spend Christmas with so I wanted to do something to help others in the same situation."

An appeal was put out to the local community and Age UK to find people who would otherwise spend Christmas alone.

Irene Buckingham, 89, who was at the meal on Wednesday, said: "It's been fantastic, it's not just the amazing food it's the people that make it so special.

"When you live alone you can go days on end without seeing a single person."

In Coventry more than 600 underprivileged children will have a present to open on Christmas Day., external

The gifts were handed out by Coventry City Mission, external at the grotto in Wood End - something that's been going on for the past 30 years.

Organiser Darren Burgess told the BBC the generosity of people in the city had been "amazing."