Volunteers have been as busy as Santa's elves to make sure those in need get help this Christmas.

YMCA Thames Gateway, the Dartford and Gravesend Messenger's charity of the year for 2020, is spreading a little festive cheer with food hampers and gifts.

The organisation, which supports some of the most vulnerable members of the community in north Kent, is providing the hampers filled with essential groceries to those facing food poverty this December.

They are also providing gifts for the young people they support and those experiencing isolation.

YMCA ran a number of fundraising initiatives, including a crowdfunding campaign calling on the local community for support. The appeal collected more than £1,000.

A number of organisations including Bericote Powerhouse, National Grid, Woolwich Rotary, Kent Community Foundation and Dartford Lions also donated more than £10,000 between them.

The hampers are filled with staple items such as cereal and pasta, as well as treats including Christmas puddings, mince pies and chocolates.

These, along with the gifts, are being distributed to families, nurseries and after school clubs, senior citizens and people with serious health conditions in north Kent, Greenwich and parts of Essex.

YMCA Thames Gateway’s fundraising manager, Emma Middleton said: “We have been providing support to vulnerable members of the community since the start of the pandemic.

"We have seen a sharp rise in families needing our support, particularly in the last few days with 15 children being referred just this weekend.

“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the campaign or volunteered to pack and deliver gifts for their support at this difficult time.

"It has been amazing to see our community pull together in this way.”

If you would like to make a donation to the charity, visit ymcatg.org/donate

National Grid and Bericote Properties volunteers helped to pack and deliver 150 of the Happiness Hampers.

National Grid is working to replace the substation at Littlebrook, Dartford, in order to ensure a reliable and efficient electricity supply. The neighbouring site is being developed by Bericote Properties to create one of the largest warehouses in Europe and the two companies teamed up to bring some Christmas cheer to the local community.

Collection boxes were set up at the Littlebrook substation site with hundreds of pounds worth of food donated by National Grid and contractor Balfour Beatty team members, with a particular effort made by Matei Costel Agache, National Grid contractor.

Bericote Properties also had on site collection and created a JustGiving page, even donating their Christmas party fund as well as collecting donations from their contractor, ISG.

Marc Johnson, National Grid assistant project engineer, said “National Grid prides itself on giving back to the communities we work in. We hope the festive treats bring a smile to the faces of those struggling in Dartford.”