A CHARITY trustee pitched in and helped make winter relief packs for vulnerable families.

Paul Chandler, the former chief executive of leading fair trade organisation Traidcraft, recently became a trustee of the County Durham Community Foundation.

He visited the Wear Mencap project at Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, where volunteers were busy with their Hope! Project, which received £1,500 from the Surviving Winter campaign, money given out by County Durham Community Foundation.

Young members with learning difficulties assemble winter survival packs for local vulnerable families

Included are hot water bottles, hand and foot warmers, blankets, candles, flasks, socks, gloves and hats, as well as food suitable for children.

The Surviving Winter campaign is a national fundraising effort run by community foundations throughout the UK.

This year, 140 families and individuals living in fuel poverty received the packs to help them through the winter months.

Joanne Fearn, Group Leader at Wear Mencap, said: “We received a tremendous amount of positive feedback about last year’s packs so we are grateful to County Durham Community Foundation for the funding to allow us to do it again this year.

“It is amazing the difference the packs make to the most vulnerable in the community and getting the young people involved in making up the packs helps them to appreciate giving back to the local community.”

To donate to the campaign visit www.justgiving.com/cdf/Donate to donate online. Cheques made payable to County Durham Community Foundation can be sent to FREEPOST CDCF with Surviving Winter on the reverse. For more about Surviving Winter visit www.cdcf.org.uk