One million people set to receive ‘bags of kindness’ in Christmas charity drive

A charity is aiming to surprise a million people in the UK with “bags of kindness” this Christmas.

The Love Christmas scheme, run by church-based charity Love Your Neighbour, will deliver food, clothes and gifts to people around the country who are in need of support.

It relies on thousands of volunteers to donate, as well as packing and delivering the parcels to their neighbours.

Last year the scheme, which won praise from both Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer, reached 775,000 people in more than 300,000 homes – and the charity hopes its 2021 drive, which launches on Thursday, will surpass the million mark.

Love Christmas is supported by award-winning musician Guvna B, real name Isaac Borquaye, who said: “It’s the human condition to want to help others, and people have put aside things that usually divide them to come together.

“The beautiful thing about this is it doesn’t matter who you are, where you have come from or what background you have, you can get involved and benefit from Love Christmas and make a positive impact to society.”

According to the charity, the aim of distributing the bags is both “helping each recipient materially and enabling them to feel the warmth of human connection”.

Love Your Neighbour’s cross-denominational network of churches is joined by charities, businesses and other local organisations to help deliver the packages.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: “It is wonderful to see such a diversity of networks, churches and people, working alongside each other to inspire greater hope and joy in streets and neighbourhoods across the United Kingdom.”

To find out more, go to loveyourneighbour.uk/lovechristmas