A CONSIGNMENT of Easter eggs will help struggling families celebrate the holiday weekend along the North Wales coast thanks to an Abergele community group.

The Hummingbird Project has just taken delivery of 100 chocolate treats from Denbigh-based Lock Stock Self Storage, and they’ll soon be winging their way out for the Easter weekend.

The community interest company was launched two-and-a-half years ago, and serves the North Wales coast from Prestatyn to Conwy and inland to Denbigh and Llanrwst.

READ MORE:

Rhyl man filmed woman at Tesco and tried to force way into her home

Dogs catch youths, arrests made on suspicion of Bodelwyddan burglary

Inquiry urged into Britannia Hotels after Pontins Prestatyn closure

Founder Pam Lake began running it from her garage, but it has since expanded to the Hummingbird Hub in Abergele and to a unit at the nearby Lock Stock storage park at Pensarn.

They aim to help people out with the everyday essentials including furniture, warm coats and even beds, cots, prams and household items.

Pam said: “We began in 2021 having notice the impact of the cost of living crisis which had a devastating effect on people who were already struggling.

“We worked for the first year at our home but the need was growing and we had to look for premises so we initially took a small unit in Abergele before acquiring our current hub.

“We hired a 20-foot storage unit with Lock Stock to store our furniture and it is useful to have somewhere to keep large items ready for distribution.”

The project is community-led, with the group responding to any needs as they arise.

Pam said she has found that many families are in need of beds, so the group has sourced and donated lots of these, together with bedding, duvets and pillows.

Since last March, she said, the group has provided 168 beds to homes (mainly single beds), as well as double beds and cots.

She added: “We know that many children sleep on the floor or with siblings, and by providing beds, we give them the space they need for a good night’s rest.

“These things cost money – even charity shops have to find money for rent which has gone up so their prices have as well.

“We’ve done 550 keep warm packs this winter with a beautiful fluffy blanket, a hot water bottle, hats, gloves, socks and even sachets of hot drinks and soups – they’re like a warm hug.

“This was funded through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, and their grant also enables us to host a weekly welcome session at the hub. We’ve also had a grant from Cartrefi Conwy, and support from the Big Lottery Fund.

“Everyone we help is referred to us by helping services, including schools, family teams, churches and local authorities.

“At Christmas, we bought 5,500 Christmas presents and they went out in three sessions over nine hours and every child received a Santa Sack with a book, chocolate and a teddy bear.

“Everyone has things they don’t need any more, and there are people who need things they haven’t got, and we try to be the go-between.”