Volunteers at the Sid Valley Food Bank are appealing for help filling Christmas hampers to give the people they help a festive boost.

Recipients will get traditional fare and gifts, plus vouchers to put fresh meat and vegetables on their tables on December 25.

Food bank manager Lois Swarbrick said: “Christmas is always a difficult time for families and individuals who have to manage on a low income.

“This year we have been fortunate enough to receive a £500 grant from the Normans Family Trust. “In addition, Jan McCann and Jackie Ensall are going to play their saxophones in the town and have kindly offered to donate their takings towards our hampers.

“This means we can again include a voucher for fresh meat and vegetables in each hamper.

“Last year the feedback received from the drivers delivering the hampers was fantastic – the joy on the faces of particularly the children when they opened the door makes all the planning and hard work worthwhile.”

The items the trustees would like to put in the hampers this year are Christmas puddings; Christmas cake; crackers; small gifts for men and women and gifts for boys and girls – suitable for those under five years, aged five to nine and for youngsters aged 10 and older – selection boxes; savoury snacks; tins of sweets; mince pies and anything else supporters can think of.

All items should still be in date on December 25.

Donations can be left in the food boxes at Waitrose, Co-op, NatWest Bank and Sidford’s Spar, or at any of the local churches.

Alternatively, they can be dropped to the food bank, in the Unitarian Church, between noon and 3pm every Friday.