Christmas toy and food appeal

While most of us will wake up this Christmas morning to a house packed with presents and table laden with food, some people face hard times during the festive season. For poverty-stricken families and disadvantaged children, there's little food to eat and no gift to unwrap.

In fact, an extended school holiday places extra strain on financially stretched families as they struggle to pay the extra food costs normally covered by free school meals.

Those in need rely heavily upon charitable support in order to enjoy Christmas. That's why we're holding our own food and toy collections towards regional appeals. Our Liverpool payroll bureau is getting behind Liverpool Homeless Football Club, our Manchester head office is supporting Wood Street Mission, our Redcar employees are helping Zoe's Place Baby Hospice and our Brighton team are donating to the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership.

All we're asking is that our staff pick up an extra toy and buy a few additional tins of food when doing their Christmas shopping. We'll then gather everything together and deliver to these four very worthy causes in time for Christmas.

If you'd like to join in with us, and send a smile to those less fortunate than ourselves this Yuletide, please pop into one of our offices with your donations. Alternatively, contact our charity committee by emailing projectqp@quill.co.uk.