A CHARITABLE trust provided more than 150 food hampers for people in need over Christmas as well as providing a Christmas Day dinner.

The Ray Collins Charitable Trust (TRCCT), a charity which helps local people in a variety of ways, packed 8,000 food items into hampers on Sunday, December 11.

A total of 20 volunteers packed soup, tinned fruit, custard, tinned vegetables, fish, meat, baked beans, boxes of cereal, biscuits, pasta, chutney, pickles, tea, coffee, sweets, chocolates, cream crackers, hot chocolate, crisps, cakes and more into boxes for over 65s and local families.

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On Christmas Eve, founder Ray Collins and a dozen volunteers transformed the new Down To Earth Cafe space in the Old Stables into the venue for a Christmas Day Dinner.

Forty dinner guests to enjoy a traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings, apple pies and custard plus mince pies, tea and coffee.

Table decorations from Charlton Park Garden Centre added to the festive feel and free prize draw prizes were laid out ready to surprise guests.

The team of volunteers collected dinner guests.

Mr Collins said: “The hampers meant lots of smiley faces were guaranteed. The cost-of-living crisis has hit our food bill hard over £7,500 for food and boxes this year.

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“What an amazing team and community effort this has been again this year. Merry Christmas everyone we hope you all have a fantastic Christmas we know we will.”

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This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @geeharland