A very special meal was served up for a group of Thanet residents yesterday.

Olympian triple jumper Michelle Griffith-Robinson and Dave Coleman, who competed in the bobsleigh in the Winter Olympics in Sochi earlier this year, were part of the team serving up a roast dinner to 25 guests.

The celebration was organised by Motiv8 Sports, the local delivery partner for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.

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The team runs seven-week personal development programmes and the meal formed one of the tasks tackled by programme participants, who cooked the three-course Christmas dinner for some of Thanet’s most isolated older people.

The two Olympians helped to lay tables and decorate the room at Global Church’s Glo Centre in Westwood Cross before taking their turn serving food and mingling with guests.

Paul Miller, of Motiv8 Sports, said: “It’s all about community cohesion and breaking down barriers between young and older people in the community.

“We served roast chicken and homemade apple crumble, which was cooked and sourced by people on the course.”

The visitors also enjoyed a performance of Christmas carols.

Michelle Griffith-Robinson is the Olympic mentor for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and has been working with the people on the course.

She said: “We’ve done six weeks of education, first aid, sports, work in the community, and today’s our day to give back to the older people, helping them back into the community and integrating the community.

“It’s priceless to me to see the young and the old mixing together.

“We know it’s only the beginning of December but today is our Christmas Day for everybody.

“Our main ambition on the programme is to get these young people into employment, education or training and this is giving them life skills.”

Video: The Christmas dinner in Thanet

One of those on the course is 22-year-old Sean Kirby.

He said: “I started the course to try and change my life and take the first steps towards getting a job.

“I’ve had help with my CV and getting job interviews and I’d recommend any young person to take the course because it helps a lot and you learn so much.

“I’m more confident in applying for jobs.

“I’d like to do sales but I’d do anything, I’d sweep the streets if I had to just to earn money.

“I’ve got an eighteen-month-old little boy and I’m trying to do the best for him and improve myself, to get a job and provide for him and my girlfriend.”