This has been a tough year for many people and two postmasters on the Shotley peninsula wanted to help to bring some Christmas cheer.

Carly and James Welham, who run Chelmondiston Post Office and Manish and Trupti Patel at Shotley Post Office wanted to help Shotley Kidzone, to help ensure families in need.

The Patels this year celebrated their 25th anniversary of his family operating Shotley Post Office and Shotley Stores, whilst the Welhams took over Chelmondiston Post Office at Hollingsworths Store & Butchers, in July 2019, whch they had opened in 2017 to restore a village shop to the community.

The Patels and the Welhams are very community minded and both families wanted to help those in need. They provided Post Office canvas bags to hold fruit, food and vegetable for 65 families on the Shotley peninsula. Some Post Office sweets were also added to help bring a smile to the recipients.

The bags contained £10 worth of food hampers from Hollingsworths Store & Butchers at wholesale rates for the charity, plus a £15 voucher to spend at Shotley Stores.

James Welham said: "Both the Patels and my family wanted to help to brighten up the lives of the neediest local people. It has been a tough year for more people than normal, and we wanted to do what we could to help with the food bags initiative.

"It was a really busy lead up to Christmas in the Post Office with people sending cards and parcels to people that they may not be able to see this Christmas and with people returning online items, but both Chelmondiston and Shotley Post Offices made the time to help with this very worthy charity food bags scheme."

Shotley Kidzone, is also supported by the FareShare charity, which provides a healthy wide range of food for children with quality surplus food.

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