THIS Christmas the Argus has teamed up with the King’s Church, Newport, to help spread the festive cheer to hundreds of people throughout Gwent.

The King’s Church Jesus Cares project will see hampers of food given out to families who can’t make ends meet.

Dozens of volunteers give their time to label more than 60,000 food items and pack boxes to give out to local groups who distribute the hampers to the needy.

This year, the Argus has got on board with the project to try to raise the profile of the great work already carried out by the church, based at lower Dock Street, Newport, and encourage as many readers and local businesses as possible to pitch in.

The hampers are made up of non-perishable foods but what we are looking for are Christmas treats that will make each hamper extra special this year.

Items that we are looking for you to donate include Christmas puddings, mince pies, chocolates, biscuits, crisps, pickled onions, red cabbage, tinned soups or any other food item that will keep throughout the festive period.

We would like you to help spread the word of this worthy campaign and encourage your workplace, school, office or factory to set aside a box for staff and pupils to bring in their donations.

Posters to support our Christmas Hamper Appeal are available to download from our website or can be collected from our reception or emailed directly to you.

In return, we plan to feature those who support us and carry updates in the runup to Christmas.

So next time you pop to the supermarket, pick up a extra one or two items for our appeal and pop them into the Argus office on Maesglas Road, Newport.

We are also looking for local businesses who would like to donate items to get in touch.

If you would like to support our appeal, contact Laura Doel on 01633 777219 or email laura.doel@southwales argus.

co.uk for more details.

Boxes boosting families

THE King’s Church Jesus Cares scheme began 18 months ago helping out families in Duffryn, and now volunteers are packing between 200 and 300 boxes a week for people all over South Wales.

Co-ordinator Faye Edwards says that with the economic crisis there is an increasing need for the food parcels, with reports of families unable to feed themselves coming back to the group.

Since then the Lower Dock Street-based church has extended its hand to help a variety of agencies, including Women’s Aid, Barnardos, the Welsh Refugee Council and the Red Cross.

Parcels are distributed to them who then pass them out to the clients.

Recipients span people who are unemployed, employed but can’t make ends meet, families with children, the homeless, refugees and others.