Wakefield Christmas hamper appeal is a success

Thanks to the Express readers, volunteers from the Rotary Club of Wakefield Chantry, Ackworth School, Camel Concrete and the staff of the Community Awareness Programme (CAP) in Wakefield, more thab 1,000 hampers are now ready to be distributed to underprivileged families who are in need of some extra help over the festive period.

The hampers have now been delivered to the Children First Hubs, thanks to Camel Concrete, Raymond Howarth, Ackworth School, F C Burrows Roofing and David Orriss who provided the transport. The hubs in Pontefract, Castleford, Hemsworth, Featherstone, Normanton, Lupset, Sandal and Thornhill Street will be distributing the hampers to families over the next week.

Around 250 complete hampers were donated by scouts, cubs, schools, churches and businesses, along with individuals, in the Wakefield area in response to the appeal in the Express over the last eight weeks. In addition, thanks to food and monetary donations from organisations and individuals, the volunteers have been able to pack more than 750 additional hampers.

Bob Guard, from the rotary club, said: “It is a mammoth task, both in the physical volume involved and the logistics of getting the right amount of items all together at the same time to allow the packing to take place.”

Gemma Jimmison, Christmas coordinator at the Express, said: “We are over the moon that the appeal was a success for the fourth year running. It is down to so many people and we’re very grateful to everyone who has donated or helped.”