Wakefield Christmas Hamper Appeal returns to help families in need

This appeal - organised by Chantry Rotary Club, Wakefield, and CAP (the Community Awareness Programme) – aims to provide some much-needed Christmas cheer to underprivileged families in the Wakefield and Five Towns area as we approach the festive season.

The appeal, which is once again supported by the Wakefield Express, has a target of supplying between 500 and 1,000 hampers.

The appeal has been going in its current form for 12 years and in that time has supplied festive hampers to more than 7,000 families across the district.

The hampers are collected and packed by volunteers from Chantry Rotary Club and distributed via the Children First organisation, which identifies those families in most need so that we ensure the hampers only go to those who are in real need.

And once again this year you can help! To make the appeal successful we need donations of both money and finished hampers. Chantry Rotary Club will be organising the packing and bulk distribution of the hampers, with CAP organising the collection of money and food to allow the hampers to be both collected and made up.

For those of our readers who want to donate finished hampers a list of the food that should be included is detailed below. Once again, this year, we have included some Christmas confectionery in the hamper list. Please however remember our two hard rules – firstly, no alcohol of any sort, and secondly, no fresh, chilled or frozen goods should be included.

For those who would prefer to donate money to the hamper appeal, this can be done at CAP at 2-8 Market Street in Wakefield. CAP projects manager Kevin Dobson will be pleased to accept any financial donations which will be ring fenced for the appeal.

Bob Guard, from Chantry Rotary Club said: “This is the 12th year that this appeal has been made in its current format. We have 11 successful appeals behind us and now want to have an 12th. Local organisations such as guides, scouts and local businesses as well as a multitude of Express readers have always supported us, and we look forward to more of that support this year.”

Hampers should include: tea or coffee, sugar, long life milk, breakfast cereals, tinned potatoes or instant mash, a small selection of tinned vegetables, stuffing, tinned meat, pasta or rice, pasta in sauce, cup soups, gravy mix, tinned fruit, juice or squash, jams, biscuits, children’s Christmas sweets and a box of chocolates.