**PLEASE NOTE: Revised instructions below for delivering reverse advent calendars.
Foodbank supporters who want to help a local family this Christmas are being encouraged to take part in the Crowborough Foodbank “Reverse Advent Calendar” during November.
In recent years a large number of people have chosen to do a “Reverse Advent Calendar” to support local families and it really does make a festive difference for families in crisis.
Each day they add an item to their collection – either something from our usual list of long life foods, or something Christmassy that doesn’t need refrigerating – and then they donate that to Foodbank so it can be passed on to clients who need support.
Iain Luxford from the Crowborough Foodbank Management Team said: “Many people have told us it’s a great way to get their children involved in giving to people less fortunate, and it helps them to appreciate all the good things they enjoy at Christmas – which many families cannot.”
There’s also a simple reason families are asked to take part during November. Iain said: “The first year we did this people followed Advent, which obviously makes sense. But of course that meant we then had real difficulty getting all the food and festive goods out to families in time. So now we ask supporters to do it in November and get their donations into us by 1st December. That way we have plenty of time to make Christmas more special for lots of families.”
Anyone who wants to do their own “Reverse Advent Calendar” should build it up during November and then deliver it to the Foodbank Warehouse at the United Church in Croft Road, Crowborough (behind the church to the right side of the building) on a Monday or Thursday morning 9.30am to midday preferably by 1 December. Foodbank also ask any contributors (if they wish) to leave their email address so they can be sent a thank you.
