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Charities have been hearing from Calderdale mothers who have not eaten for days so that their children are fed.

There are harrowing tales of families bunking up together in one room to save on heating costs as energy prices soar and the cost of living crisis deepens.

But the incredible strength of community spirit in Calderdale means that hundreds of vulnerable children will not go without this Christmas.

Yesterday (Friday) saw the Spiegeltent in Halifax’s Piece Hall turned into a wrapping operation to rival the North Pole, with scores of volunteers helping charities Calderdale Lighthouse and Focus4Hope sort and prepare presents donated by generous people to give out to those most in need.

Volunteers from Calderdale Lighthouse and Focus4Hope at The Piece Hall

Halifax’s MP Holly Lynch, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust Nicky Chance-Thompson and children from Warley Road Primary School were among those who popped into help with the massive project which saw a staggering 1,542 presents wrapped in just one day.

“Whenever we ask, the people of Calderdale give,” said Diane Barker, one of the founding members of Calderdale Lighthouse.

"There is such a strong sense of community spirit in Calderdale.

"People are always asking how they can help.

Children from Warley Road Primary School were among those helping out

"We couldn’t do this without the help of the community, and the people in Calderdale are amazing.”

Both charities have seen a huge rise in the number of people needing help over the last 12 months.

Now temperatures are plunging, they are being inundated with requests from families needing bedding, coats and other ways of keeping warm.

And they are seeing more people in work asking for help than ever before.

Some of the many bags of presents donated

"It really is a case of heat or eat,” said Louise Reed, founder of Focus4Hope.

"So many people are struggling – the rising cost of living is affecting everyone.”

Nicola Freemantle, Focus4Hope Manager, added: “We helped a mum who had fed her kids and her dog but she hadn’t been able to afford to eat for three days.

"We’ve had a 100 per cent rise in the number of working families that we’re helping.”

The past five weeks has seen Fearnley Mill at Dean Clough providing a home for Calderdale Lighthouse and the charity’s own Christmas wrapping hub.

It also hosted another volunteer day, when people flocked to help wrap more than 700 gifts – including many donated by Dean Clough businesses - for disadvantaged families. https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/people/fashion-i-love-that-holly-willoughbys-high-praise-for-halifax-town-centre-sisters-fashion-line-on-itvs-this-morning-3948038

Both charities have thanked people for their kindness with their Christmas appeals – but they need support all year round.

Focus4Hope is in need of food donations for its food bank, while Calderdale Lighthouse appeals for equipment, clothing, bedding, toiletries and toys for babies, children and young people.

To help, visit their Facebook pages to find out what is needed as well as when and how you can drop off items.

You can also find out more by visiting their website at https://calderdalelighthouse.com/ and https://www.focus4hope.co.uk/

Focus4Hope is currently appealing for volunteers to help out in their soon-to-open pre-loved shop Replenish in Brighouse, which will raise funds for the charity.

For more information, email [email protected] .

'People always give': Harrowing tales but amazing community spirit as Calderdale pulls together for its most vulnerable

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