Local heroes from St Mary’s Fire Station in Southampton joined up with the nearby Saint Mary’s Church to support their ‘Love Christmas’ campaign, and help pack and deliver 1,600 hampers to families in need across the city.
The heartwarming initiative, aimed at supporting isolated individuals and struggling families – particularly single parents – saw firefighters stepping up not just with their time but also with infectious energy and festive cheer.
St Mary’s Station Manager Pete McClemont said:
“Supporting the Christmas hamper packing was an easy decision for us. It’s a privilege to work alongside the community, especially during the festive season, and to help make a real difference for families in need.
“The event wasn’t just about packing hampers – it was about coming together, building relationships, and spreading a bit of joy.”
The crews, led by watch managers Ben Tatman and Pete Larcombe from the city-centre station’s green and blue watch teams, brought smiles and teamwork to the cause, showing that the season of giving is alive and well.
Thanks to their dedication and the collective effort of the campaign, every hamper has now been delivered, spreading joy and support to the community. This inspiring act of service reminds us of the power of coming together to uplift those in need during the holidays.
Sophie from Saint Mary’s Church said:
“Thank you to all the watches that got involved in Love Christmas, from packing and wrapping, to catching the gifts up and downstairs, and to writing the Christmas cards, your help was invaluable!
“Bringing your fire engines added another level of excitement to the sessions and made for great conversations across all ages about how good it is to all be working together for those in our city.
“We have already had messages of thanks from recipients of the hampers, including a family with a young son who attends a local school, they emailed saying:
‘“It was a wonderful surprise and brought him so much joy. We truly appreciate your kindness and generosity, especially during this festive season.”’
