Around 700 dried food items are urgently needed for a Christmas campaign in Dumfries creating special hampers for 150 vulnerable families.
And an appeal has been made to businesses to pitch in to donate all the fresh goods – from meat to milk – that will also be needed.
Lee Vann-Wakelin and his family set themselves a festive goal of finding easy to make recipes, and all the ingredients required, for meals to cover seven days including Christmas dinner.
The 150 families to benefit will be identified via community and church groups, and charitable organisations.
More than 5,000 dried food items have been already been donated or bought through generous cash donations during the past few weeks.
Among them was the Doonhamers Scooter Club whose members clubbed together and bought items from the list and also gave a financial donation.
Lee said: “It is incredible how the community is pulling together to help and we are grateful to everyone who has made a donation, including the Doonhamers Scooter Club who have been fantastic.
“However, we are desperate to receive donations of tomato soup, plain flour, sugar, light brown sugar, self-raising flour, evaporated milk, chicken stock cubes, tomato sauce/ketchup, golden syrup and vegetable oil, which we need ASAP for the hampers.
“If anyone wants to help us – and it is urgent that we get these goods – dried foods can be handed into The Dumfries Men Shed in Cresswell area of Dumfries, plus Crumb the Restaurant on St Michaels Street. Or to us at our home if they text us on 07581366702 for the address.”
The 46-year-old learning assistant at Dumfries High is also now appealing for the public’s help in getting together funding for all the fresh goods that are needed.
He said: “Our shopping list for fresh goods include turkey roast joints, pork, chicken breasts, sausages, fresh vegetables, lemons, cream, milk, butter, eggs and similar adds up to £3, 275.
“We have about £1,500 pounds in cash donations for this expenditure which leaves us more than £1,700 short. We can only buy the fresh goods nearer to Christmas but would like the cash in place before then and donations can also be handed in at the collection places or text me for bank details.
Items required include part baked rolls; packs of pork shoulder and boneless chicken thighs; butter and diced pancetta.
