Comfort and Joy: Support and donations flood in from Hovertravel, BAE Systems and Southern Co-op for festive charity campaign

Hovertravel has launched its Christmas appeal to support HIVE Portsmouth, which is a key member of this year’s Comfort and Joy campaign.

Having collected food last year for HIVE, Hovertravel will again have a collection trolley inside its Southsea terminal.

Neil Chapman, Hovertravel’s managing director, said: ‘We know that many families have been struggling throughout 2020 and we wanted to give our customer community the opportunity to donate whatever they can, as they pass through.

‘As supporters of HIVE, we are keen to promote their Comfort and Joy campaign which in partnership with The News, Portsmouth Diocese and the City Council is encouraging everyone in our city as individuals and as groups to share some love in Portsmouth this Christmas.

‘I know Hovertravel’s customers are a generous bunch and with our staff who also donate individually plus a corporate top-up, we should be able to collect a decent trolley-load.’

Another source of festive support is BAE Systems, which has given a generous donation of £5,000 towards the Comfort and Joy voucher scheme which will help charities including Two Saints, Hope Into Action and the LifeHouse.

The business is also promoting the scheme with its employees to encourage them to join in.

Ashley Bennett, BAE Systems people services director, said: ‘As one of the largest employers in Portsmouth, we at BAE Systems know that we play an important role in the life of this great city and those who live in it.

‘It’s not hard to imagine that as a result of the pandemic, Christmas will be different for all of us, especially for the city’s most vulnerable people and those in need.

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‘That’s why we have been supporting HIVE Portsmouth and the great work they do for our city throughout the pandemic this year, and why we’re proud to support the Comfort and Joy 2020 Christmas voucher scheme.

‘We look forward to helping make this scheme a success, and continuing to work with HIVE Portsmouth and our local communities in the new year.’

Southern Co-op is also showing great support for the Comfort and Joy campaign by pledging to donate £250 worth of £5 gift vouchers towards the total.

HOW TO HELP

To get involved with the voucher scheme, simply buy a Christmas card and write a message, without including your name and address, and purchase a gift voucher of £5 to put inside the card.

Do not seal the envelope, and place the Christmas card into one of the festive postboxes in the area which can be found at Tesco stores in Havant, Fratton, Gosport and Portsmouth’s Crasswell Street.

Alternatively, send a gift card, cash or cheque payable to St Mary’s Church in the post to St Mary’s Vicarage, Fratton Road, Portsmouth, PO1 5PA or hand in at St Mary’s Church any morning between 9am and midday.

The deadline for receiving donations on December 18, after which time the donations will be distributed to the good causes.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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