New charitable group inspired by Marcus Rashford helping hundreds of families
A charitable group inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford is helping hundreds of vulnerable families in the Black Country over Christmas.
Help To Make Tummies Full, which only launched in October, is on course to deliver 400 food packages to families in the area.
Lucie Dennis, aged 28, from Aldridge, who founded the group, says the initiative has snowballed massively since its inception.
What started as the mother-of-three making Facebook appeals by herself has grown into a team of 35 volunteers who work with charities, schools and women's refuges.
She said: "Marcus Rashford was the inspiration. You know when the Government said they wouldn't fund the children's free school meals over the holidays, I thought that was just terrible and I have to get behind it and make a difference somehow. Even if it was just some food hampers for families that need it.
"That is where it started and it has snowballed from there. Now it has got to the point where we are delivering 27 hampers to a local school.
"Every day up to Christmas, we are doing one school, or four schools, and one day we have got three refuges. On Thursday, a refuge [collected] 37 food parcels for families and a gift for 59 children."
Vulnerable children
Each food parcel and aid package is tailor-made to each family thanks to the organisational skills of volunteers. Among the groups they work with is Black Country Women's Aid.
Mrs Dennis, who also runs a window business with her husband, has asked refuges to come up with Christmas wish lists for vulnerable children.
These items are then listed on the group's Facebook page where members of the public can buy items anonymously.
It allows children to have tablets and Amazon Fire Sticks and parents to have hair-dryers.
Mrs Dennis has thanked the volunteers and generous members of the public for helping to get the initiative off the ground. There are plans to make Help To Make Tummies Full a charity in the future.
Shelfield Methodist Church, in Walsall, was used as a drive-through drop off point recently.
Anyone wishing to donate is asked to visit the group's Facebook page. Alternatively, to donate money, visit the group's JustGiving page.
