Supermarkets give our appeal a helping hand

ASDA in Biggleswade and Budgens in Sandy will be doing their bit to help us help the needy in the Biggleswade and Sandy area this Christmas.

For the last 30 years generous readers have donated food and gifts to our annual appeal to spread a little festive cheer in the season of goodwill.

The families who receive the Families in Need Appeal hampers would otherwise have very little.

And last year The Need Project, which is run by Kings Baptist Church in Stotfold, joined the team to help us to match the hampers with those who need them most.

ASDA in Biggleswade has set up a donation shopping trolley at the front of the store. The company has kindly offered to give half of the donations – such as food and gifts – to our appeal and the other half to Bedfordshire Housing Link. The charity supports homeless people in the county.

And Budgens in Sandy has donated lots of items to the appeal including mince pies, tubes of sweets and boxes of chocolates.

Peter and Sylvia Wicks of Langford have donated 50 packets of biscuits – one for each hamper.

This year the appeal is providing luxury hampers for Christmas while The Need Project continues to provide basic food. If enough gifts are donated the families will also be well supplied over the new year period.

All food, new toys and quality toiletries will be welcomed but the organiser, Ken Lynch, has said that the hampers particularly need tins of ham, tins of fruit and toys to make them complete.

Cheryl McDonald will be wrapping the toys and she would appreciate rolls of festive wrapping paper to do this.

Readers can also donate blank Christmas cards, which will be filled in and included in the hampers.

The Norman Cub Pack in Sandy has generously offered to supply the hamper boxes.

Donations can be taken to the Biggleswade Chronicle offices in Biggleswade High Street between 9am and 5pm on weekdays until Thursday, December 20.

They can also be taken directly to Ken at 4 Pyms Way in Sandy. Sandy Town Council also has a collection point in its Cambridge Road offices.

The hampers will be packed on Saturday, December 22. They will then be delivered to needy families in the Biggleswade and Sandy area.