Spread festive cheer by donating to Kettering Christmas parcels appeal

Please give generously!
Please give generously!Please give generously!
Please give generously!

The coronavirus crisis is not stopping Kettering's Salvation Army from helping families in need this Christmas.

The charity has launched their Christmas parcels appeal to help those in the town and surrounding area with gifts of new toys, books, groceries, winter clothing, toiletries and more.

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Once again two stores in the centre of Kettering - Wilco in Newland Street and Superdrug in High Street - have agreed to operate collection points where people can drop off donations.

Major Nigel Govier, commanding officer of Kettering Salvation Army, said: “In spite of the coronavirus, I want to make sure we still serve the community at Christmas.

“It’s even more urgent that local residents think generously and donate toys, food and other suitable gifts for struggling parents to give to their children on Christmas Day.”

Major Govier urged people not to wrap items as their volunteers will do so and requested food to be in tins or packets with a good shelf life.

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He said: “We’ve always had great support from Kettering folk so we will be delighted to once more receive donations of new gifts for all age groups - young and old.

"Please don’t wrap the items. We will do that after ensuring the gifts are suitable for each person.

Food preferably needs to be in tins or packets with an adequate shelf life. A number of elderly folk living alone at Christmas will receive food vouchers to be spent at Aldi stores.”

Some of the funding for the appeal comes from money collected when the Kettering Citadel Band plays Christmas carols at supermarkets in the town.

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Covid restrictions prevent the band playing this year, but a JustGiving page (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tsa-community-support-000041) has been set up for donations to still be given.

A special event during the appeal has always been the toy service in the Salvation Army meeting hall in Rockingham Road.

This too cannot take place this year but the community rooms in Regent Street just off Rockingham Road will be open from 10am to 2pm on December 4 and 5 with volunteers there to receive gifts from the public.

Two other popular Christmas occasions - the Community Carol Service (scheduled for 6 pm on December 20) and Carols By Candlelight (at 7pm on Christmas Eve) - will be virtual presentations streamed on the Kettering Salvation Army YouTube channel.

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