HUNDREDS of hampers will be given out to feed the homeless this Christmas in place of a meal.

Usually the Oxford Homeless Project organises a Christmas celebration lunch on Christmas Day at the Kings Centre, Osney.

But due to the pandemic the volunteer organisation said it had to 'rethink how to support Oxford’s most vulnerable'.

This year it decided to make and give out 100 hampers to households who are struggling in East Oxford.

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These had been given out to the project's 'regular guests' who usually attend the Christmas meals, but the project also reached out to anyone in the community who needed a helping hand.

Shabnam Sabir, founder of the Oxford Homeless Project, said: "We’ve had an amazing response from the people of Oxford who have been very generous and donated lots of items from Christmas treats to toys to toiletries to food items. Volunteers will be packing and delivering over 100 hampers in the day leading up to Christmas.

"Times are indeed hard for many but knowing at times like this we can come together and help in our own way makes it all worthwhile."

The hampers have been packed and delivered between Monday this week and today.

The project has already given out or designated 100 hampers, and is set to deliver more.

The Oxford Homeless Project is just one of many organisations which are working to help rough sleepers and the lonely through the festive season.