A FOODBANK has come up with a unique Christmas jingle to drum up support for festive hampers for needy families.

Manningtree Foodbank has created a Ten Weeks to Christmas musical countdown as a helpful list of what to donate.

The aim is to encourage residents to give festive treats those receiving the special hampers wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

Volunteer Kerry King, who came up with the jingle, said: “Each year the foodbank has a Christmas packing day when we pack Christmas parcels to take to all the people that have visited us during the year.

“The list is to try and collect as much Christmassy items as possible.”

The jingle asks for things such as potatoes, tinned ham, salmon, mince pies, chocolates and toys - all set to the tune of the well-known festive song The 12 Days of Christmas.

Kerry added: “This is the first time we have done this, I made it up and thought it would be a nice way to let people know what would be useful.

“We have a poster up in the Co-op in Manningtree and will put them up some other places.

“Over the year we help families and individuals - it’s something, unfortunately, which is needed in the area.

“But we would like to help more families than we do.

“A lot of people are hesitant to come, some families are too proud.

“They can come straight to us or through a doctor or social worker.

“We have One Support there who deal with financial problems and residential problems.”

Kerry said the Foodbank has great support from shoppers using the Co-op Foodbank donation bin with the food from the Highfield Primary School harvest collection.

She added: “Everybody that has come to the foodbank in the year gets a Christmas parcel with five days of food, and so they can have the treats they couldn’t afford otherwise.”

The foodbank, with One Support, is open on Tuesdays 10.30am to 12.30pm at Foundry Court, Colchester Road, Manningtree.

FOODBANK JINGLE

On the FIRST week to Christmas it would really assist, if tins of potatoes and veg were on your list 

On the SECOND week to Christmas it would really help our bin. if you could give some ham in a tin. 

On the THIRD week to Christmas to help with season’s nosh

some salmon would be great as it’s so posh!

On the FOURTH week to Christmas what would really be so good is a traditional and fruity Christmas pud. 

On the FIFTH week to Christmas some custard would be great.

To pour over the pudding on the plate.

On the SIXTH week to Christmas there might be special buys like a box or two of lovely mince pies.

On the SEVENTH week to Christmas special biscuits would be good to have with tea after the Christmas pud.

On the EIGHT week to Christmas some nibbles and some chocs, especially if they were in a box.

On the NINTH week to Christmas some crackers and some toys

To give some fun to little girls and boys.

On the tenth week to Christmas we would like to thank you all for your generosity throughout the year.

Your help has meant that we have helped individuals and families in 2018 and now we can make sure that they have a better Christmas because of your help.