FOOD banks across Dorset have launched their annual Christmas campaigns with some asking for support to help provide Christmas dinner for those in need.

Across the conurbation food banks are collecting items ready for Christmas on top of their regular food parcels.

Instead of eating pasta and sauce on Christmas Day, some food banks (including Christchurch Foodbank) are collecting cash donations to enable them to provide a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings to their families on the big day.

Items in need include Christmas treats such as mince pies, Christmas cakes and selection boxes alongside the staple food items which can make a huge difference to families lives including UHT milk, tinned meat and squash.

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Councillor Hazel Allen, cabinet lead for homelessness at BCP Council, said:

“It is always vital to spread the word about the community food support that is available across the BCP conurbation and there are a number of fantastic schemes and appeals in place that will help people to eat and stay healthy and safe this Christmas.

“These include The Bournemouth Foodbank, the West Howe based Hope for Food , the Christchurch Foodbank with its reverse advent calendar box project , Poole Foodbank at Jimmy’s Place , The Citygate Community Hub, Poole Waste Not Want and Moor Community Food, to name just a few. The Access to Food Partnership ( made up of BCP Council, Public Health Dorset and the Community & Voluntary Sector) responds to food insecurity across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

“Its excellent online Access to Food Map is a great resource in helping to find local food banks within the conurbation for residents who want to use or donate to the various services."

  • Hope for Food

This Christmas Hope for Food is aiming to provide 500 families in need with a Festive food parcel.

A Hope for Food spokesperson said: “In addition to a normal food parcel we want to provide every child with a selection box so estimate we will need 1000 in total.

“We also hope to provide each family with a Christmas pudding, mince pies and treats such as sweets/chocolates.

“We will start putting parcels together from December 6, so we can deliver before the schools break up.

“However we are happy to accept any non-perishable food items that form part of our normal food parcels. We are also collecting new toys to give to the families.

“In addition to families we are hoping to give a Xmas goodies bag to everyone attending the community meal.”

  • Christchurch Foodbank:

A spokesperson for Christchurch Foodbank said: “Things have not slowed down for us, we gave our 13,984 parcels during lockdown.

“It is such a blessing to be able to help those in need in our community.

“CFB+ are continuing our Christmas turkey scheme, giving a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings to those families who will otherwise eat pasta and tinned food on Christmas Day.

“We also give out new toys to families referred to us through children's centre, schools and social services.

“We are partnering with Twynham Church to cook and deliver a Hot Christmas dinner on Christmas Day.

“All our visitors will get a Christmas Goodie bag and stockings for their children.

“We have run a School Holiday Hunger scheme for the past seven years and we will do this again this Christmas.

“Our needs are cash donations, UHT milk cartons. tinned meat. hot dog sausages, fruit squash, tinned custard and Christmas goodies please.”

  • Moor Community Food

A spokesperson for Moor Community Food said: “We are creating Christmas hampers for our customers.

“We are looking to create 110 hampers which include extra ‘luxury’ Christmas items which families maybe wouldn’t be able to afford to buy, such as mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, selection packs, Yule log, box of biscuits, box of savoury crackers, Christmas crisps and chocolate.

“Other than Christmas hampers we are open every Tuesday and are always in need of pasta & pasta sauces, rice & sauces, tea, coffee, tinned carrots, sweetcorn, fruit, rice pudding, custard, baked beans, biscuits.”

Donations can be dropped at St Gabriel’s Church Hall, Keysworth Road, on Tuesdays between 9-11.30am.

Christmas donations will need to be delivered by Tuesday, December 7.