THOSE who needed help from food banks in Sandwell at Christmas have benefitted from a collection organised by council staff.

The council’s education benefits office has organised a collection for several years on the first floor of Sandwell Council House in Oldbury, but before Christmas, the team expanded its collection and received donations of crates of food and money from across the council house as well as council offices at Jack Judge House in Oldbury.

Items donated by council staff and their families range from pasta, sauce and tins to Christmas puddings and chocolates.

Local companies Clarke Transport’s head office in Oldbury and FCL Global Forwarding Ltd in Smethwick also supported the initiative.

Councillor Steve Trow, cabinet member for core council services, said: “I want to say a big thank you to the council staff who organised this collection and to everyone who donated items or money.

“Staff in the education benefits office work day in, day out with families who need help and support, so they really understand how difficult some local families are finding it to make ends meet. Their effort over several years to collect items and raise money makes a real difference to local people.

“We also thank the many fantastic volunteers at food banks in Sandwell who support local families all year round.”