The Salvation Army’s Fitton Hill church and community centre delivered Christmas to more than 350 families last month, handing out presents and food parcels as rising poverty grips the Oldham estate.

The Fir Tree Precinct site supplied gift bundles to 350 households and packed more than 100 food hampers so children would eat during the school break, responding to referrals from social workers, schools and health teams.

Kim Rogers, community engagement co-ordinator at the centre, said: “Over the last year we saw more and more people depending on charity as they were pushed into poverty and seeking help from others. Low paid jobs, increased bills and high food prices have affected many in our town and we have seen that people who once could manage to live are now struggling to make ends meet.”

She added: “The generosity and support we received to our Christmas Present Appeal to help us help families that otherwise would have had no presents has shown a new level of community compassion and has put smiles on the faces of many within our town. It is a wonderful feeling and amazing to see and be a part of, but the stark reality is that people needed this support as they are struggling, they have lost hope, and they are in desperate need of kindness and support.”

The charity expects demand to persist through 2024 and will keep supporting families across Fitton Hill and greater Oldham.

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