Helping Hands Deliver A Little Christmas Magic For New Forest Families In Need

Kindhearted residents at a New Forest care home turned Santa’s helpers to support families in need in their community.

Working alongside care and companionship staff, residents at Colten Care’s Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst devised a ‘Christmas community project’ in aid of Lyndhurst Food Bank.

It involved collecting dozens of food items and wrapping and placing them in boxes they decorated specially.

Altogether, 18 ‘Santa’s Helping Hands’ community boxes were prepared and given to the food bank for onward distribution to families.

Alongside were other gifts including biscuits, crackers and tableware.

A number of local businesses and organisations helped the scheme by sponsoring boxes.

On the front of each box, the message read: ‘Happy Christmas from the residents and staff at Woodpeckers care home, Brockenhurst’.

Woodpeckers Companionship Team member Jo Anderson said: “Our residents really took this project to their hearts.

“After collecting food items in-house, we approached local businesses to help out as well and once we were under way, residents helped to decorate and pack the boxes.

“We are delighted to have been able to hand over so many beautifully presented boxes to the food bank.

“When their volunteers visited us to pick up the gifts, they spent time with residents, explaining how valuable the contribution was and how it would really help the families they work with.”

Three Woodpeckers residents have said why they took part and helped fill the boxes.

Patricia Hoy said: “It was most enjoyable to be a part of a group in this important project. Knowing it will help families in need this Christmas is very satisfying.”

June Farrow said: “My heart goes out to the families at Christmas and I am so proud to have played a small part in this project. I would like to thank the volunteers who run the Lyndhurst Food Bank and do such a marvellous job.”