Support Christmas appeal for Wakefield’s families in need

The Wakefield Express has once again teamed up with the Rotary Club of Wakefield Chantry and city charity CAP (the Community Awareness programme) to make sure that struggling families have enough food to eat during the festive period.

The annual hamper appeal relies on donations from our readers, along with businesses, groups and individuals from across the district.

You can help us reach a target of 800 hampers - a 20 per cent increase on last year - by donating individual items of food and drink, by donating finished hampers or by making a financial donation to the CAP charity so volunteers can buy the necessary supplies.

Kevin Dobson, centre manager at CAP, said “We want to encourage as many people as possible to make up their own hampers and bring them to Market Street. If there are any organisations out there who can make up multiple hampers we will also go out and collect them. Our target this year is to pack and distribute 800 hampers.”

The majority of the hampers will be made up using donated food at the CAP headquarters on Market Street, with the help of rotary volunteers. They will be handed out by the seven Early Hub Network centres - previously known as Sure Start - across the district to ensure they get to families with children who would not enjoy a merry Christmas without some help.

A basic hamper should contain tea or coffee, sugar, long life milk, breakfast cereal, chocolate biscuits, tinned potatoes or smash, tinned vegetables, stuffing, tinned fruit, angel delight, fruit juice, chocolate or sweets. They can also contain tinned ham or corned beef, pasta, rice, meat paste, jam or marmalade, gravy mix, pot noodles, cup-a-soups, pasta in sauce. Fresh food and alcohol should not be included.

Mr Dobson said: “The Wakefield Chantry Rotary Club will pack and distribute the hampers to the Early Hub centres during the two weeks from November 30, so we need all of the food available to pack in the week before.“

Gemma Jimmison, Express co-ordinator, said: “Times are hard and there are many families in the city who are struggling at the best of times, never mind at Christmas when costs inevitably increase.

“We need your help to make sure nobody goes hungry over the festive period this year. It doesn’t matter whether you donate several hampers, or just one item - every bit will be gratefully received by those in need.”

The final deadline for donations is 3pm on Monday, November 30.

Donations should be dropped off at the CAP headquarters, which is open from 9am to 3pm.

Alternatively, call Mr Dobson on 01924 381119 or 07767 057612.

For financial donations, please visit www.capcare.org or email [email protected]