Thousands of Christmas meals to be packed and delivered to families in Cornwall
3000 meals and 900 presents are being boxed for the Santa Meal Appeal
Hundreds of boxes are being packed at Camborne foodbank to make sure everyone in need across Cornwall gets a dinner and a present on Christmas day.
The Santa Meal Appeal will see 3000 meals and 900 presents delivered to doors of households across Camborne, Pool and Redruth, who are in need of extra support over the holidays.
Don Gardner, from CPR Foodbank, says the demand this year has been much higher than when they first started eight years ago: "The first year we did 72 meals and now we're doing 3000. We did 3000 last year.
"We've got vans being loaned to us, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service are taking 50 (boxes) out for us".
Boxes of meals will include tins, snacks and ingredients for Christmas dinners for each member of the family - and are being packed at Camborne school. Once each of the boxes have been packaged up throughout this week the food parcels will be delivered on 23rd December, two days before Christmas Day.
Presents are being wrapped for each child from the household, with some help from Pirate FM's Mission Christmas Appeal.
Don added: ""We're trying to provide families with a Christmas lunch that they wouldn't have.
"The criteria are that mum and dad wouldn't be able to have a Christmas lunch. We also do Christmas presents, we've got a team of wrappers in the church, then they're matched and brought over here to go out with the hampers on Friday".
Volunteers at CPR Foodbank say the demand has been increasingly 'worrying' this winter as they are seeing more families coming into the foodbank for the first time.
Don continued: ""At the moment we're doing on average well over 1000 meals. It's frightening really.
"I've got to say thank you to the families who are providing the meals".
Read more:
Cornwall foodbank sees double the demand ahead of winter