Oatlands Community Group launches alternative advent calendar to support homeless

Oatlands Community Group has launched a project encouraging the Harrogate district to think of others this Christmas by putting together an 'alternative advent calendar' for the Harrogate Homeless Project and the Harrogate food bank.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Dec 2016, 13:01 BST

Updated 6th Dec 2016, 16:02 BST

Oatlands Community Group members Ella Smith-Dunn(19) and sister Scarlett(11) with John Carter Stott (87). (1610314AM1)

Instead of a traditional advent calendar, the group is inviting people to decorate a box and put an item into it each day throughout December to support homeless people.

Suggestions for items to put in the box include pasta, rice, sugar, biscuits, toiletries, and household essentials.

Anybody interested in taking part can also put items into the box on each Sunday of Advent, or do it on the twelve days running up to Christmas.

On Saturday January 7, Oatlands Community Group will gather the boxes together at their TUKI cafe and distribute them to the Harrogate Homeless Project and the Harrogate food bank.

Harrogate