FORTY elderly and vulnerable people had an eggs-tra special Easter thanks to Wantage’s Easter bunny Ray Collins.

The charity champion hosted his annual Easter lunch for the lonely for the first time at a new location this weekend – Grove Rugby Club.

He and his volunteers served dozens of diners with a delicious roast dinner then sent them home with baskets full of Easter treats.

Preparations at the rugby club started the night before as volunteers decorated the clubhouse.

From 8am on Easter Sunday, club members including Phil Connolly, Jackie Nicholl and Lesley Tilbury started preparing the banquet.

At 10am volunteer drivers for the Ray Collins Charitable Trust, clad in charity’s purple hi-vis jackets, set off to collect the guests.

The first guests arrived before 11am and were seated with tea, coffee or a soft drink.

At midday chicken and mushroom soup and a fresh crusty roll were served as the starter, all the guests cleared their bowls commenting how delicious it was.

Main course was next – roast beef, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green beans and peas and sprouts with Yorkshire puddings and lashings of gravy.

Dessert was an apple and peach crumble with homemade custard which just a few struggled to finish.

After tea and coffee, two of the trust’s youngest volunteers Owen Church, nine, and Sophia Champ, five, arrived with their mums.

Mr Collins explained to the guests how Sophia and Owen – with a little help from mums Jenny and Lyndsey – had spent all afternoon making Easter egg parcels for each guest to take home containing a large egg and sweets.

As the volunteers and trustees handed out these parcels, guests remarked how wonderful they looked.

Mr Collins, who manages Peter Ledbury electricals in Wantage, commented: “For many, this was the only treat they received this Easter: we often forget a simple act of kindness can put a colossal burst of sunshine in someone’s life.

“All who attended went home stuffed full, happy to see their friends and very happy with their gifts. As one lady said, ‘another very successful day from a very special charity’.”