An advent calendar with a difference has been created to help Teignbridge residents in need this winter.

The reverse advent calendar – where people add food and household items to a box to donate to a food bank instead of taking a chocolate or treat from a traditional calendar – has been designed by the Rotary Club of Newton Abbot and THAT Foodbank.

The items have been chosen as non-perishable so, once collected, the calendar can be donated to the food bank for distribution after Christmas.

Rotarian Richard Morgan said: ‘My grandson, who lives in Birmingham, came home last year with a reverse advent calendar published by his local foodbank.

‘Every day in December, on his way home from school, he would stop at the local supermarket to buy an item to put into his box. He ended up bringing it down to Newton Abbot and we dropped it into THAT in Buckland on Christmas Eve.’

Richard and his wife Heather designed the Newton Abbot calendar, based on a list of food and household items THAT Foodbank gave them. The Rotary Club is promoting the calendar and has printed off some copies.

Lin Wooldridge said: ‘It’s such a lovely idea and we’re so pleased to be involved with it.

‘The foodbank is under so much pressure at the moment - with so many homeless people and those struggling on low incomes – and this will really help.

‘Richard came to me with the idea and I gave him a list of items to include that weren’t just for Christmas but general stock we can use afterwards during the long winter period.

‘We’re only shut for Christmas Day and Boxing Day so people can bring their advent boxes in either Christmas Eve or after Christmas.’

Lin said THAT foodbank was also collecting Christmas items to distribute to local families before the holidays.

She said: ‘We’re creating holiday packs with foodstuff for the Christmas break when the children are off school, including extra Christmas goodies and toys.

‘If anyone would like to donate Christmas items, such as chocolates, biscuits, crackers and toys for the packs they can bring them into the foodbank at Buckland or put them into our collection bins at Tesco and Asda.

‘These Christmas items need to be donated by December 13. The reverse advent calendar boxes can be donated to us after Christmas.’

For THAT opening hours visit www.thatfoodbank.com