Portland Foodbank launch Christmas Lunch appeal

Could you help give the gift of a Christmas Dinner to people in need on Portland?

Portland Foodbank are asking for support to help spread a little festive hope and cheer.

They're aiming to provide food boxes for a traditional Christmas lunch on Christmas day, in addition to their usual weekly support.

The foodbank is having to spend £1,000 per month to meet rising demand for the service, which has almost doubled in the past year due to rising levels of unemployment associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

John Mason is one of the organisers at the foodbank. He said that wasn't the case last year:

"Our numbers then were probably on a regular basis sub-40 family groups, and now it's almost double that.

"We are very, very anxious to raise as much funds as we can so that we can support this.

"We just don't know what the size of the problem is going to be because nobody has any idea what the medium and long term effects are going to be of increased unemployment."

Just a £10 donation could be enough for a Christmas lunch for up to 2 people.

They want to provide various sizes of Christmas boxes which will contain such Christmas stapes as a Chicken or Turkey, vegetables and stuffing, as well as, of course, a Christmas pudding.

As it will be in addition to their normal weekly food service, they're setting up a separate scheme to raise money.

They're asking people to contribute in packages:

· £10 donation for a Christmas lunch for 1 to 2 people

· £15 donation for 3 to 4 people

· £20 donation for over 5 people

A spokesperson for the foodbank said:

"We are therefore asking the residents of Chesil Bank to consider making a donation to cover the cost for a meal for those less fortunate at this special time of year, knowing that, due to your generosity, as you are sitting eating your Christmas meal, another family is doing the same."

If you would like to donate call 01305 873978.