A SPECIAL Christmas bus is taking to the streets of North Somerset from this week on a mission to bring festive cheer to hundreds of struggling families.

Starting on Thursday, December 5, First Bus West of England is joining forces with Westcountry charity Operation Community Hamper (OCH) to bring 1,000 hampers for vulnerable families in Weston, Nailsea, Clevedon, and Portishead.

The bus will travel for eight days and will be kitted out with lights, music and Christmas characters.

As well as spreading some festive cheer across the region, the main aim of the ‘carol bus’ is to collect luxury Christmas items donated by the public for the OCH appeal.

The appeal was launched during the pandemic in 2020 by Bristol resident and child protection manager Charlotte Churchill who noticed an increasing number of families accessing food banks.

“It started off in my front room with 19 hampers, and by 2022 the wider community got involved, and that’s where it really grew. “We created 340 hampers that year, and last year – alongside the usual hampers – we also created bags of Christmas gifts for most of the families,” Charlotte said.

“The support from local and national businesses, such as First West of England, has been amazing.

“The joy and wellbeing that Operation Community Hamper provides to families is incredible.

“This project is about enriching their lives, adding to their emotional well-being and bringing some hope to them,” she also added.

Sarah Wallbridge, senior marketing manager for First West of England, said: “The energy and passion the team has is amazing, and there’s a real sense of community with everyone super committed to make a real difference.”

Members of the public who want to donate luxury Christmas items, including food and drink, can hand them over to volunteers on the carol bus as it tours the region.

Route maps for each bus, as well as a list of suggested items to donate, can be found on the First West of England website.

Anyone wanting to donate is asked to wait at their nearest bus stop on a carol bus route and wave the bus down.

If you are unable to visit the carol bus or offer items, OCH is also accepting financial donations on its website.

The special Christmas bus will tour the following locations between 6pm and 8pm: Thursday, December 5 Weston-super-Mare; Wednesday, December 11 North Somerset (Nailsea/Clevedon/Portishead).