'˜Reverse Advent Calendar' sees South Tyneside Hospital staff package up help for families at Christmas

Through the Hebburn Helps ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’, they have donated hundreds of food and toiletry items, as well as some additional seasonal treats.

For each of the first 25 days of November, there was a corresponding item, including Christmas pudding, tins of vegetables, fruit juice and cereal. Donations on the list will now be put together in boxes, which will be given out to families during Christmas week.

Nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and ancillary staff in various departments at South Tyneside District Hospital took part and encouraged colleagues and their family and friends to do the same.

Hebburn Helps community food bank and crisis response team is a voluntary organisation that was set up to help families - predominantly in South Tyneside - who are struggling to make ends meet.

Angie Comerford, of Hebburn Helps, said: “The generosity of everyone in our community never ceases to amaze us and we can’t thank staff at South Tyneside District Hospital enough for their support. Their donations will mean many families will not feel forgotten this Christmas.”

Hebburn Helps is always looking for donations of food, clothes, household items and anything else that people may no longer want.

Anyone wishing to help can call them on 0191 4899707, Facebook www.facebook.com/hebburnhelps/, Twitter @hebburnhelps