Wakefield Express-backed Christmas Hamper Appeal launches to help families in need

The Wakefield Express is helping to launch the annual Christmas Hamper Appeal to help families across the district.

Although it feels as if we have only just left summer, believe it or not, Christmas is only 2 months away.

And that means its time for the annual festive appeal, which is organised by Chantry Rotary Club, CAP (the Community Awareness Programme) and the Wakefield Express. We need your help again this year.

Over the past six years, this appeal has helped many thousands of families in need across the Wakefield and Five Towns area – and the needs this year are greater than ever. So, you, the readers of the Express, both individual and corporate, are critical to the appeal being able to help those in need.

Once again, the Children First organisation will be distributing the majority of the hampers, with a quantity also going to some local schools.

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So, how can you help?

Well, you can donate food or complete hampers to the Community Awareness Programme (CAP) on Market Street, Wakefield. This fantastic charity will be collecting and collating all food and complete hampers as they are donated.

Once all of the food is collected, then Chantry Rotary Club members will be packing the hampers ready to distribute to the Children First organisation and schools.

Each hamper should comprise of the basics, which includes tea or coffee, sugar, long life milk, breakfast cereal, chocolate biscuits, tinned potatoes or instant mash, tinned vegetables (peas and/or carrots), stuffing, tinned fruit , Angel Delight, fruit juice, chocolate or sweets.

Suggested extras could include tinned ham/corned beef, pasta, rice, meat paste, jam or marmalade, gravy mix, pot noodles, Cup-a-Soup, pasta in sauce, long life mince pies, long life Christmas pudding and Christmas crackers.

Please remember not to include any fresh, chilled or frozen food or alcohol.

You can contact CAP in Market Street, Wakefield, or give them a call and let them know you want to donate either food or funds to help pay for the food.

Call Kevin Dobson, the Centre Manager, on 01924 381119.

And don’t forget, we need all of the food or hampers to be with us by November 18, which is only three weeks away.

Please help us to help families in need this Christmas.