The vital service of those on Oxfordshire's festive frontline who will work on Christmas Day

As watch manager of Red Watch at Banbury Fire Station, he will be on duty on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the day after that.

So, this year, he and Mrs Edge have decided to have Christmas the day before at home in Brackley, for Zac, four, Joshua, two, and eight-week-old Caleb.

The 34-year-old said: “We’re putting the kids’ stockings out on the evening of the 23rd and we’ll tell them its Christmas on the 24th. We’ll have a modest Christmas dinner and the five of us get to spend the day together.”

On Christmas Day, his shift will start with seven people, but he only needs five, so they will draw straws to decide who gets to go home.

The five who remain then have a kit parade to make sure their equipment is working. Then, as long as there are no urgent calls, the team gets to relax, and even cook a Christmas dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. The team decorated the station at the beginning of December and will go the whole hog on the big day – hats, crackers and all.

Mr Edge said: “It is really important to do these little things because you’re all away from your families, you need the day to feel a bit special.”

There is no such thing as the “average” Christmas call-out, he said.

Last year, he said his team were called on Christmas night to a “beautiful old cottage” which flooded, and spent two hours bailing the residents out.

On another occasion he had to go to a house fire caused by a professional chef.

He said: “It wasn’t his kitchen, but he was invited along and managed to set the kitchen alight.

“It was a small fire, but their Christmas dinner was completely ruined.”

He said the one certain difference is that there is a lot less traffic on the roads, so road accidents are less common.

Mrs Edge, 32, and the boys will spend the day this year with her mum in Middleton Cheney, just outside Banbury.

So, when he clocks off at 6pm, Mr Edge can be there five minutes later and spend at least part of Christmas with his family.

He said the fire service warns people of three things around Christmas: “Beware of having candles near decorations, do not drink and drive, and, to shop owners, make sure you are meeting your legal safety obligations and keep exits clear.”

• Christmas Day gift is some food and a chat

THIS year Simon Bliss will be spending Christmas Day with the people he works with at O’Hanlon House homeless shelter in Oxford.

As project worker at the shelter, Mr Bliss, 26, does everything from cleaning to helping people apply for gym membership or get a flat.

On Christmas Day he will join the shelter’s 60 permanent residents and up to 30 day visitors for a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

• Simon Bliss

They will also have a Christmas bingo and a buffet in the evening.

The West Oxford resident has never worked a Christmas Day at the shelter before, but said: “Everyone I have spoken to has said it is quite jolly.

“To be honest, I’m quite looking forward to it. I’m a reasonably young guy, I don’t have a young family of my own and it will be nice to spend it with people who would otherwise be alone.”

Mr Bliss said he would work from 7.30am to 7.30pm, and lend a hand with whatever needed to be done.

There will be some people not in the mood to celebrate but Mr Bliss said staff at O’Hanlon House were particularly good at listening.

He said: “There will be plenty of staff who can take someone to one side just to ask ‘how are you doing?’”

Mr Bliss will also celebrate a “second Christmas” with his parents in South Oxford another day.

• ‘This can be a very lonely time for many’

PETE Williams has never worked on Christmas Day before, but when his friend Ray Collins asked him to help with something unusual he made an exception.

Shop manager Mr Collins is organising a Christmas dinner at Wantage Day Centre for 45 people who would otherwise spend Christmas Day alone.

• Robert Huffnagle, left, and Pete Williams, will serve Christmas dinner for dozens of people who would otherwise be alone          Picture: OX71674 David Fleming

He asked Mr Williams, 43, who is the cook at the elderly day centre, if he would give up his Christmas Day to help out.

Mr Williams said: “My boss asked me first and I said I would think about it, but I went to see Ray he told me what it was all about and I just said ‘yes’.

“There are vulnerable people out there who need to be with someone at Christmas.It can be a very lonely time of year and I’m doing it for them, I don’t want any glory or recognition.”

He said as he was cooking Christmas dinners for day centre users every day last week, he would be well-practised.
As an added incentive, Mr Collins also roped in the day centre’s former head chef Robert Huffnagle, who Mr Williams worked alongside for three years.

He said: “It will be hard work but it’s me and my friend doing it together one last time, the boys riding again.”

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