OVER 150 war veterans and pensioners will enjoy a special Christmas lunch at the Office of National Statistics (ONS) thanks to volunteers.

Now in its third year, the lunch will take place in the canteen of the ONS in Duffryn on Friday, December 19, between 3.45-7.30pm.

For the volunteers though, it is also a way of saying thank you to the guests for their service.

The pensioners were nominated for the meal by the British Legion and other veterans groups.

The event has got bigger every year, with 120 veterans having attended in 2013.

The lunch has been organised by Liz Buttigieg, 59, who works in the ONS.

Mrs Buttigieg said that she felt it was her duty to pay tribute to the veterans with the lunch.

She said: “The British Legion are sending representatives from 18 different organisations across the Valleys, Caerleon, and Newport.

“They’ll be there in their blazers, with their military badges and ties.

“They are proud, proud men. It’s my way of saying thank you to them for the sacrifices they made.

“Without those sacrifices, I wouldn’t be living the life I am today. It’s something I felt I had to do and it’s just a drop in the ocean.

“It makes such a difference to see their faces.”

Mrs Buttigieg said it was thanks to the volunteers that will be helping her that the event can take place.

She said: “I couldn’t do it without the staff that volunteer on the day. I couldn’t cook for 150 on my own and it wouldn’t be what it is without them. I could raise all the money I wanted but without their help, it wouldn’t work.”

To raise money for catering, Mrs Buttigieg hosted several bake sales at the office and a number of her colleagues have supported her. Among those to volunteer is David Burgess, who is helping with the entertainment.

He said: “We usually do a pantomime each year but a few people dropped out last year so we decided to do some singing this year.

“More has been organised this year. As well as a sound system, we will have sketches throughout the meal.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a sing-along going with White Christmas, Pie Jesu, and a selection from Les Misérables.

“There’s some really good people like Liz out there and it’s just about raising awareness of the work they do.”