Not everyone in our community has a loving family, food on the table or gifts under the tree.

Unemployment, illness, changes in benefits and food poverty, especially that caused in holiday periods when eligible children are not receiving free school meals, mean money is scarce for Christmas treats and gifts for some.

We're doing two things this Christmas -

1. We're want to provide special Christmas hampers for individuals and families within our community - we're working with Bridgwater Foodbank to put these together.

2. We believe no child should go without at least one special gift from Santa - we’d like to provide a wrapped gift for as many children as possible.

Donations of money given will be used to buy a selection of Christmas food treats & essentials for the hampers and gifts for children.

We're also be running COLLECTION POINTS for food gifts, toys and gifts for children and Christmas wrapping paper - we'll be at events in early December. Details of the event times and items we’ll need will be circulated soon in posters and on social media.

The dates confirmed at the moment are as follows:

Friday 2nd December - Christmas Fair at Somerset Bridge School
Thursday 8th December - Christmas Carols Event at Somerset Bridge School

During December we’ll be organising small teams of volunteers to hold ‘wrapping parties’ in their home to wrap the presents and hampers - we’ll provide the mince pies! Please get in touch if you'd like to volunteer to host or attend a party - email michelle.phillips@swtimebank.org or call 07500 778767.

All hampers and gifts will be distributed though a network of local organisations shortly before Christmas.