Wakefield's Christmas Hamper Appeal has helped 1,023 families in need

Thanks once again to the generosity of everyone who donated, helped and volunteered, we packed and distributed 1,023 hampers - above our 1,000 target - for families across the Wakefield district.

The appeal, in its fifth year in this format, is organised by the Rotary Club of Wakefield Chantry and the Community Awareness Programme Charity (CAP) and is fully supported by the Express. It relies on the generosity of Express readers in providing both funding and actual donations of food and finished hampers.

Around 250 complete hampers were donated this year leaving the Rotary Club and CAP to pack all the food donated and purchased into 750 hampers.

The 1,023 hampers have now been delivered by volunteers from the Rotary Club and CAP to Children First Centres and local food banks ready for distribution to the families.

Bob Guard, from the Rotary Club, said: “Once again the generosity of corporate and individual readers of the Express has allowed us to successfully pack and distribute more than 1,000 hampers to families in need. The logistics of the operation are complicated and required the combined efforts of Kevin Dobson and his staff at CAP and nearly 20 volunteer rotary members to complete the operation. We also have to pay tribute to the staff of the Children First organisation and the food banks involved for their efforts in ensuring that the hampers get to the right families. We really do have to say a big thank you to all concerned!”