They may be facing turning to charity this Christmas, but that doesn’t mean some of Maidstone’s hardest-hit won’t get a treat this Christmas.

This Christmas Day, as families open their emergency food parcels given to them by Maidstone Homeless Care, they will find a few packets of pure luxury amongst the essentials.

The bundles of chocolate which will be available for those in need across Maidstone and Malling have been provided by Paddock Wood-based Angus Kennedy.

The country’s leading chocolate taster, whose business Kennedy Confection is based in Paddock Wood, receives daily receives samples from chocolate producers across the world and is given dozens of items every time he visits a factory to feature in his industry magazine.

So he decided to share his delicious haul with others. But he wanted to be able to share it with others.

The Kent Messenger arranged through our You Can Help appeal with Maidstone Homeless Care for him to hand it over to staff at the day centre in Knightrider Street, which provides daily support for the homeless and provides , including arranging emergency food rations.

Mr Kennedy, who brought dozens of boxes with him, said: “This is the first time we have ever done something like this. It has been great to be able to do it. The staff at Kennedys agreed they wanted it to go somewhere like this. Chocolate producers are concerned about helping children in Angola, but let’s help the children in Kent."

He added: “I won’t be there to see them get their chocolate on Christmas Day, but I love to think that they will be getting something which will help make their day special.”

Day centre manager Sue Tallowin, who accepted the donation with Alan Reading, vice chairman of Homeless Care, said there was enough for some to go to the homeless helped there and for the emergency parcels given to families, children’s centres across the area and Maidstone Age Concern’s groups.

She said: “Families won’t be expecting it. There is no way that they’ll ever be able to buy those luxuries. This time of year you need the basics, but you still know the luxury that somebody else has. It is really nice to have something like this to put in."

If you would like to contribute to our appeal, you can bring donations of non-perishable food and other essentials to the KM's Maidstone office during office hours.