Norwich families get Christmas support from Future Projects

Future Projects, which is based in the Marl Pit estate and helps vulnerable people across Norfolk, is helping less fortunate families deal with the festive period.

The Christmas hampers were delivered to families on December 19 (Image: Future Projects)

Christmas Hampers packed full of food, essentials and everything needed for Christmas, including wrapped presents for children, were sent to 302 households on Tuesday, supporting 821 people overall.

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In total the charity distributed £10,020 worth of food and essentials to families in need.

The demand for the hampers has increased in the last few years (Image: Future Projects)

Rumana Johnson, operations manager for Future Projects, said: "The number of people in need of emergency support at Christmas has been far higher in the last few years, compared to pre-cost of living crisis levels.

"There are even more people in need of our hampers than last year’s record of 282 households.

"People have been really grateful, saying it's made their year and how they wouldn't have been able to get through the Christmas period without this help.

More than 60 volunteers helped out in the last week to arrange and deliver the hampers (Image: Future Projects)

"We asked for children's ages and genders, so we could get appropriate toys for them to open on Christmas and they've gone down a treat too.

"People are overwhelmed with the hampers, providing them with everything and more, which a lot of us take for granted."

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More than 60 volunteers helped to get the hampers together and distribute them to households.

Families were said to be overwhelmed by the hampers and that some said it made their year (Image: Future Projects)

Companies including the Phoenix Group, Nuffield Health, West Norwich Lions, Dunelm and Prestige Nursing & Care Norwich also contributed food and essentials to fill the hampers.

Rumana added: "It's an incredible feeling being able to make someone's Christmas the best it can possibly be."

Originally called The NR5 Project, the charity was founded to help disadvantaged people in the area and now offers a range of services including the Baseline Centre and Future Radio.

In total, £10,200 worth of goods were delivered to 302 families in Norwich (Image: Future Projects)