Guild Care grateful for Worthing Cares donations

The boxes were delivered with much-needed, socially-distanced doorstep chats by a team of more than 70 volunteers.

Mark Philips, volunteer co-ordinator, said: “The response from our volunteers has been quite humbling and really reflects the caring and compassion they all have.”

Julie Moon was spending her first Christmas on her own and was visited by Guild Care trustee Paul Baker and his wife Sandra on Christmas Day.

She said: “Thank you everyone at Guild Care for the good wishes and hamper. I had a brilliant visit from Paul and Sandra, and we talked, masked and socially distanced.

“What an absolute treat. My first Christmas on my own but I have had a very good time.”

In addition to public donations, the Worthing-based charity’s campaign to fund the boxes was also supported by local businesses.

Guild Care chief executive Alex Brooks-Johnson said: “I’d like to give a massive thank you to the community for coming together to support Worthing Cares, including the local companies that donated.

“We could only run the campaign and do our bit in battling holiday loneliness, thanks to you all.”