Nearly 200 Christmas hampers went to families in need in Bridport and the surrounding area this year.

The team who organises the annual Christmas Hampers and Stockings at St Mary's Church and Bridport Round Table have been busy delivering Christmas meals and stockings in what has been an incredibly difficult year.

Bridport Round Table launched a Christmas Joy Campaign fundraiser in October to ensure families in need across Bridport and Beaminster had a Christmas dinner. This raised more than £6,500.

Simon Wakely of Bridport Round Table said: "We distributed 90 packages and also made a donation to Beaminster Food Band, it's been really good.

"We raised £6,500 from our Crowdfunder, which was so well supported, there was a lot of support from local businesses and people.

"This is the first year we have done it so it has been a bit of a learning curve for Bridport Round Table, and hopefully we will continue to do it.

"It opens up your eyes to the problems in the area."

The Christmas Hampers and Stockings team gave away 77 hampers, up from 45 last year, as well as 81 stockings, which also increased.

Referrals come from St Mary's Primary School, Bridport Primary School, health workers and the children centre. Referrals started coming in just after half term and they knew they were going to have an enormous response, fortunately that is when they heard about Bridport Round Table's initiative.

Donations came in from RJ Balson and Sons, Groves Nurseries, Washingpool Farm Shop, Waitrose, Morrisons, Bridport Round Table and Bridport Ladies Circle, as well as others.

Mish Bartlett, who helps organise the annual cause, said: "It has gradually gone up, the first year I was involved we did about 30 and that was the average for a couple of years, then last year it went up to 45 and then, suddenly, this year it has exploded. People have lost their jobs and we concentrated on the young families for that reason.

"We're going to work closely with Bridport Round Table from the beginning."

The team were unable to have people help them pack the hampers due to coronavirus, so four of them have been working hard to get it all done. But they have had a lot of help from people offering to deliver them, including members of Bridport Round Table and Groves Nurseries.

Charlie Groves said: "It's just nice to help out in whatever way we can, we have a couple of delivery drivers on standby and because it is usually a bit quiet on Christmas Eve, it is good to make use of them."

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