Community comes together to bring festive cheer
Volunteers have been sorting and delivering festive treats and meals for those who are struggling
Around 200 people will be getting a Christmas lunch and festive treat thanks to a Devon community coming together.
Each week volunteers with Teignmouth Mutual Aid and Community Larder prepare almost 50 food parcels for those locally who are struggling - from families of eight through to individuals - across the Teignmouth, Bishopsteignton and Shaldon areas.
This week volunteers have also been preparing and distributing a festive treat for 114 adults and 63 children with food items coming from community donations and toys from local churches.
Co-founder Jackie Jackson said: "There's all sorts of reasons why people can be in difficulty there's divorce, there's disability, there's loss of job and rent's gone up too high whilst benefits haven't increased.
"We are also packing up a Christmas dinner lunch that will contain everything you need - but we have some people who can't cook a Christmas dinner because they haven't got facilities. There's a couple of people who've only got kettles, so we have to think outside the box and there are ready meals for example."
She added: "There are some hidden pockets of poverty and there are also people who weren't in trouble but things happen to them during the year. The nice thing is, we feel, that at least instead of facing a very dreary Christmas they're going to have a proper Christmas - and hopefully it'll help lift them out of their difficulties for a little while."
Volunteer Karen Hadley, who helps with the year-round preparations says she's made great friends and feels proud of the community, adding: "People just arrive at the door with bags of cereal or coffee - or things they've just added to their shopping and they bring in specially for us. It’s really special.”
Archie, 12, has now been helping carrying boxes and Christmas sorting for two years and said: "I suppose it's all helping people and so worth it, I feel like I'm helping which is good."
Dave Gill, who has been volunteering for three years, said: "It's nice to put something back. When I was young we had very little. I've been lucky enough to have a little bit more so I try to help as a best I can."
Amanda Brunt has again donated items after she retired from working in social services and healthcare, where she would oversee staff. She said: "We had nurses who would come in tears because they had to use a food bank. They felt the seeming judgement of people who said 'well you're working, you're a nurse and you should be able to provide' but they couldn't.
"All my children are now grown up. They do not get presents, it all comes to the food bank. I film it as I'm shopping saying 'Merry Christmas children'. The grandchildren all get presents but my children their presents are now for the food bank."
For more about the charity click here