If we can help at this time of year, we should

THERE are so many cheerful signs around and about this time of year.

From Nativity cribs in town centres to statues being decorated, to the wonderful sight and sounds of brass bands playing Christmas carols.

Against that background, the sight of the trolley collecting food for the local foodbank in Tesco stopped me in my tracks.

It’s easy to forget, at this time of year, that for some people, Christmas stress won’t be about whether the parcel will arrive on time from Amazon, or battling Christmas traffic jams, it’ll be about whether there is any food to put on the table.

It’s hard not to become political when discussing foodbanks, but it’s important to try and put politics to one side when talking about something as basic as people in this first world country being able to feed themselves.

In Rossendale, we have two organisations providing a foodbank service, the best known being Raft, which feeds hundreds every week.

How we find ourselves at the end of 2018 with people unsure of where their next meal will come from, I don’t know.

If we can help, we should.

Not necessarily the most cheerful message to end on before Christmas, but an important one all the same.