A Christmas campaign is to provide holiday hampers to island families in need.

Nesi Armstrong, founder of Free Food Bermuda, said the organisation’s 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway aimed to bring some festive cheer with hampers for a dozen deserving families, as well help others with smaller gifts.

Ms Armstrong, 28, said: “We try and prioritise the ones with the direst needs.”

She added there had been an “outpouring from the community” over the last three years.

Ms Armstrong said: “We’ve been able to exceed goals and touch hundreds of families.”

Amelia Cole, head volunteer for this year’s campaign, was working as the America’s Cup catering coordinator when she met Ms Armstrong earlier this year.

She explained: “At the end of the day, if we knew that we were going to be left with meals, then I would donate it.

“I was looking for an organisation and came across Free Food Bermuda.”

The 31-year-old, from Southampton, said it was a simple choice when she was asked to help.

She added: “I just wanted to be there to support, really.”

Ms Armstrong said she encouraged volunteers to bring their own children to meet the children of recipients on hamper presentation day.

She explained: “It teaches our children compassion to give to other children that are in need.

“It makes them selfless and to see that Christmas is not just about them receiving, but giving. That’s what it’s about.”

Ms Armstrong said her own daughter, Elin, now aged 6, had been helping out since she was 3.

She added: “We just had her first parent-teacher conference on Friday and they said that she is the most nurturing, sensitive student to other children’s needs they have ever seen.

“I know where it came from.”

Ms Armstrong founded Free Food Bermuda in 2014.

The organisation uses its Facebook page to connect those in need of food and other necessities with those that have extra to spare.

Nominations for families for consideration for the hampers are accepted until December 5.

Ms Armstrong and her team then selects which families will receive the hampers, which include a tree, decorations, turkey, ham and vouchers.

Hampers have gone in past years to families hit by accidents, violence, families with severely ill or disabled members and young mothers caring for several children.

The twelve recipient families - one each day - will be announced on the group’s Facebook page between December 9 and 20.

The hampers will be handed over at Cobbs Hill Methodist Church in Warwick on December 21.

The organisation said it planned to give out other items to families in need not selected for hampers.

• To nominate a family for a hamper e-mail freefoodbermuda@hotmail.com or visit the Free Food Bermuda Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FREEFOODBermuda/.