Berwick Pensioners’ Festive Treat Bags is a small, volunteer-run community group providing festive cheer to older people in Berwick-upon-Tweed. We were set up in 2020 to ensure that local pensioners, many of whom are socially isolated, receive a seasonal treat bag filled with small gifts, festive items, and essentials.

Our aim is to reduce loneliness, bring joy, and show our older neighbours that they are valued and remembered at Christmas.

This is a small town and word of mouth goes a long way. We do not pay to advertise but instead we rely on the local community to help keep our name out there. Businesses display posters, we have a strong social media presence, I have had articles in the local press.

This is the 6th year of running this project and we have every intention of continuing for the foreseeable future.

Feedback from the people receiving the bags has been unanimously positive, with many letters of thanks coming from not just the pensioners, but also their families. I have returning businesses who offer ongoing financial support to the project as they like the positive exposure it gives their business and giving back to the customers who support their businesses.

Each year I wish to make the bags bigger and better than the previous year and funding will help to make this happen