Home Start Portsmouth overwhelmed at the number of Christmas donations made in their festive appeal

The Home Start Portsmouth Christmas hamper appeal 2022 was launched in November, and to their surprise, donations came in thick and fast.

The annual donation drive has been taking place for five years and the charity welcomed a whooping 101 donations from local residents who wanted to give back this festive period.

The hampers, which consisted of a range of things including Christmas treats, household essentials, toys and gifts for all of the family to enjoy, particularly for those who have been hit hardest with the cost of living crisis.

The team at the charity ensured that the hampers made their way to families who needed them the most, in time for Christmas so that everyone woke up to presents under the Christmas tree.

Natasha Solanki, fundraising and communications manager at Home-Start Portsmouth, said: ‘Organising this appeal has been a real pleasure. It is incredible to see the community spirit and be a part of giving back with the amazing people within the city.

‘The people of Portsmouth of course didn’t let us down. Our volunteers and community have excelled themselves as always and we are so grateful for their efforts in making this happen.

‘This was an amazing community effort, and everyone’s support has been so humbling.’

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Home-Start Portsmouth supports families with young children who are going through challenging times, and they offer a range of services that can be accessed.

The team help families who experiencing financial concerns, medical problems, grief, depression, anxiety, post-natal depression and they also help people who feel isolated or vulnerable.

They offer home visits to families, groups and clubs to help parents integrate with other families in the community, groups to support young mothers and many more.

A single mum of one said: ‘We cannot be more grateful for the gifts you have sent, there are so many goodies from these kind people. I wish I had the chance to give them a huge cuddle to say thank you, I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened them.’