Feed a Family This Christmas: Marston's donates to Express & Star appeal

The firm, which has its headquarters in Wolverhampton, wanted to do its bit to help families in need.

The cash donation was used to buy around 155 food and toiletry items including cereal, porridge, long-life milk, fruit juice, fruit squash, rice, pasta meals, jam, marmalade, peanut butter, jellies, custard, tuna, tinned fruit, soup, toothpaste, shampoo and laundry liquid.

Kindness

Richard Westwood, managing director of Marston's Beer Company said: "It is great to support this Express & Star initiative."

We've been overwhelmed by the kindness of people across the Black Country and Staffordshire who have really dug deep to help those less fortunate.

Generous donations continued to flood in even after the last date of the appeal ensuring we could bring some last-minute festive cheer to the community.

In total we have received in excess of 9,000 items and every one will go towards helping families to put a much-needed meal on the table.

Our drop-off points have been inundated with an array of food and toiletries with schools, Scouts and health workers among those lending a helping hand.

Since the appeal began on November 16, we've been busy distributing everything between The Well; the Good Shepherd Ministry, also based in Wolverhampton; the Black Country Food Bank, which has centres across Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall; Smethwick Food Bank; Walsall North Food Bank and Cannock and District Food Bank.

Some of the items were used to create food parcels for people in need over the festive period and into the new year while others have benefited a soup kitchen. Among the thousands of food items donated, were 3,000 tins of baked beans, spaghetti, vegetables and fruit; 650 tins or packets of soup; 500 puddings, such as rice pudding, mousse and jelly; 430 bags of pasta, rice and noodle pots; 420 packets of biscuits and; 430 boxes of chocolates; 210 cartons of long-life milk; 170 bags of rice; 140 boxes of mince pies; 90 Christmas puddings and 500 toiletries and baby items. In addition,we've also received small toys, children's books, knitted hats, socks, gloves and blankets.

Some of these plus many of the chocolates and selection boxes donated have been given to children being helped by The Haven refuge in Wolverhampton.

A number of people have chosen to make anonymous cash donations which have been used to buy vital supplies for the charities.