Xmas Hampers for 440 vulnerable families, personally delivered, December 23rd, 2011



Each year, for the past ten years, myself and my daughters have volunteered a day of our time on December 23rd to pack and deliver food hampers to people who are vulnerable at Xmas time.

Last year we missed out on that opportunity and so this year the girls insisted that we make time because otherwise 'it doesn't feel like Xmas' (their words)

This is how I know that the 'seceret to living is giving'  ...because the gift of giving 'feels' better than getting ...even to privileged teenagers from Surrey two days before Xmas!

This year, the London Basket Brigade packed 440 Xmas food hampers by lunch time. I think it was the fastest ever time and we were in our car with 5 hampers to deliver in Central London by 1pm.

Our lasting memory from this year came from our last delivery.  After climbing a few flights of stairs in a block of flats we were greeted by a single Mum and 5 small kids. We always deliver the hampers anonymously and simply say 'we are just delivering a gift from a friend' On this occasion we had lots of tiny eyes staring in disbelief and in the background all we could see were beds in the two or three rooms they had. As we handed over the hamper and said goodbye a small child said to her Mother 'Mummy we have lunch'    ....at which point I looked at my children and we cried as we walked down the stairs.

The secret to living is giving.

Here are two of my daughters with a new friend from Basket Brigade

Happy New Year. Make it your best year ever!