A charity based in the Isle of Dogs has delivered tasty festive gifts to elderly residents who face spending Christmas alone.

East End Community Foundation (EECF) distributed Christmas food bags to day centre users and sheltered accommodation residents in Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets yesterday.

Around 20 companies donated the goods for the bags which were given out by teams of volunteers from corporate partners and businesses in Canary Wharf and the City of London.

Tracey Walsh, chief executive at EECF, said: “Christmas is a time often filled with family and friends, but there are those that are not only alone at Christmas but throughout the year.

“If the East End Community Foundation and our partners can help fight these feelings of loneliness that older people often experience, by spending time with these individuals and making them smile and though our food bags and gifts, then it makes the experience worthwhile for the us and the volunteers.”

Each bag contained everyday essentials and a few extra luxuries to help the recipients enjoy the Christmas holidays.

John Biggs, mayor of Tower Hamlets, visited a day care centre where he met ECCF volunteers and recipients of the food bags.

He said: “I would like to thank all of the local businesses participating for their generosity at this time of year in providing Christmas food bags and gifts to older people.

“It was great to meet the dedicated volunteers at the East End Community Foundation, who are spreading the festive cheer in Tower Hamlets”.

EECF is appealing for donations to help cover the cost of purchasing, packing and distributing the food bags.

To help click here.