Preston's Here for Humanity are running a reverse advent calender this Christmas to help support their food bank

The Preston charity 'Here for Humanity' are organising a reverse Christmas calender next month, to help support their food hub in the new year, and everyone is welcome to take part.

Throughout December, instead of just taking a treat out of an advent calendar for yourself, the community owned group are asking people to donate a food item to a calender for someone else.

The food donated in the reverse advent calenders, a full list of which features at the end of the article, will then be collected by Here for Humanity on Christmas Eve, and will go towards their January food parcels.

Chris Murray, the founder of Preston's Here for Humanity said: "It’s an easy way to donate but it’s also bringing back some of the spirit about Christmas that’s been lost, the reason why we give, which is always going to be the most important part but we’ve got lost along the way, so it’s just trying to bring it right back to the beginning.

"It’s also going to support the foodbank in January massively. As a functioning foodbank, we have naturally got to be a few weeks ahead so some people questioned why we weren’t doing it in November for December but we’ve already planned how to get through Christmas, and we know how bad January’s going to be, there’s so much uncertainty for us an organisation. We’re totally unsupported by anyone at the minute, so we’re 100 per cent funded and owned by the community as our name suggests, and we need the food to support the community."

Here for Humanity first started doing food parcels for struggling families during the pandemic, and now cater to around 120 families in the Ashton and Plungington area every week.

Chris, who announced they were doing the advent calender last Friday, added: "If each house gets one tin of beans, one tin of soup, in their parcel, that means we’re using 120 each week so that’s a huge amount of numbers to feed, and with recent cuts, and kids going back to school, and uniforms not fitting, people are worried and struggling.

“So we need to make sure we’ve got supplies for January to support the food hub, but I really want to highlight the fact that the calender's a brilliant opportunity to show the importance of giving, you could print the poster out and do it together as a family with your children."

Here for Humanity first suggested doing an advent calender on Facebook last Wednesday, to see if there would be much interest, and Chris says they decided to go ahead with the idea after receiving over 80 messages from people in 24 hours.

Chris said: "Because it’s been taken so well, it’s like the whole city's involved, it’s a real chance to bring the city together to do something.

"If enough people take part, we’d love to be able to open up the centre and put a mascot in there, and tell everyone they can drop the calenders off on Christmas Eve and visit the mascot, but we’ll have to see! I would love to do something definitely."

To get involved in the reverse calender, first message Community Owned H.F.H CIC on Facebook, or via email at [email protected], and include a phone number and the address where the box will need collecting from on Christmas Eve, although delivering to the organisation is also an option.

All you have to do throughout December is then put one item from the list in a box to represent each day, and the group will contact you nearer the date to arrange a time for collection and to inform you of who will be collecting.

The full reverse advert calender list is below:

1- Tinned tuna

2- Tinned sweetcorn

3- Baked beans

4- Bag of pasta

5- Tinned custard

6- Tinned fruit

7- Tinned potatoes

8- Box of cereal

9- Tinned green beans

10- Bag of oats

11- Tinned mushrooms

12- Tinned macheral

13- Tinned tomato soup

14- Peanut butter

15- Pasta sauce

16- Tinned tomatoes

17- Tinned carrots

18- Tinned vegetable soup

19- Packet of spaghetti

20- Tinned peas

21- Tinned spam

22- Bag of rice

23- Tub of Gravy

24- Tinned rice pudding