Bishop of Lichfield spreads spirit of Christmas to pensioners in need

On 19 December 2007, the Christmas spirit will become reality when a local MP, a bishop and two chief executives knock on the doors of 200 older people in the West Bromwich area, delivering a £25 Christmas food parcel to each pensioner in need.

The delegation bearing glad tidings will include Stephen Karle, Chief Executive of the West Bromwich Building Society, Tom Watson MP for West Bromwich East, the Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Rev Jonathan Gledhill, and Ernie Murray, the local Chief Executive for Age Concern.

They will set off from the ASDA Superstore in Great Bridge on board a mini-bus loaded with the parcels.

The first stop will be to approximately 50 pensioners living in sheltered accommodation in the Hill Top area of West Bromwich, followed by a presentation of 20 parcels to pensioners attending the Age Concern Day Centre.

The activity is part of a group effort with Age Concern providing three drivers and a mini-bus for the deliveries, eight helpers from the West Brom to deliver the parcels and ASDA assisting with all the packing. The parcels are expected to take some two to three days to deliver.

£5,000 has been set aside by the West Bromwich Building Society and its partner organisation, the Mercian Trust, to support older citizens at Christmas.

The money is part of a 12-month campaign, which will see over £100,000 distributed to local worthy community causes by the West Brom and Mercian Trust.

Tom Watson MP (West Bromwich East), who suggested the initiative of delivering food parcels to local pensioners in the West Bromwich area through Age Concern, said: "There are many older people in West Bromwich who urgently need support and I can't thank the West Brom and Mercian Trust enough for making Christmas very special for them."

Stephen Karle, Chief Executive of the West Bromwich Building Society, said: "This really is a team effort from a variety of organisations and individuals. Each organisation and individual involved in this project care greatly about the welfare of all the local people living in our community.

"I see this initiative as capturing the true spirit of Christmas for many pensioners living in our area."