Local charities have received more requests for help this year compared to last, The Royal Gazette has learned.

But spokespersons for the non-profit groups said they were able to meet the increase in demand due to public generosity.

Director of Seventh-Day Adventist Community Service Pastor Eugene Gibbons said the church had particularly seen an increase in its feeding programmes for the homeless.

For example, Pastor Gibbons said, the Somerset Seventh-Day Adventist Church provided meals for 637 people this year compared to 393 in 1992.

The demand for the Southampton congregation's feeding programme grew from 2,689 to 3,447.

But the Hamilton church saw a decline from 2,246 people last year to 1,424 this year.

Pastor Gibbons said the church's community service also collected 2,080 bags of donated clothing and gave out some 30,845 pieces of clothing.

This was done despite the closure of a few of the church's main collection sites for renovations.

Last year the church gave out some 52,000 pieces of clothing.

"This year the figures are a little lower in that area because a lot of the operations were actually carried out by individual churches,'' Pastor Gibbons said.

"But there have been increases in the feeding programmes and various other areas.

"From the calls that I'm getting, I think there is still a need for our service. People are still in trouble. But I would think that the figures somewhat reflect that we are coming out of the recession.'' Salvation Army officials reported they received a record number of requests for gifts for disadvantaged children and food hampers.

While figures were not yet available, both Maj. Gilbert St. Onge and the Army's family services director Envoy Janice Dill said the Army's distribution had surpassed the $109,670 worth of goods given to the needy last year.

"The requests are ever so ever more,'' Envoy Dill said adding that this did not include some of the most needy whose pride would not let them ask for help.

Envoy Dill estimated that the Army had already given away more than 550 food hampers.

But she said while the demand was greater this year, so was the response.

"Some people did not call up (to chose a name from the Santa Anonymous gift list,'' Envoy Dill said, they just brought gifts in.

"In fact, we are over sponsored as far as toys go. So I asked if they could give food or clothing instead.'' Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association president Mr. Gordon Ashford said while he did not yet have the figures for 1993, the number of people in need of the charity's assistance has been more than last year.

Mr. Ashford said this could probably be attributed to lay offs in the hotel industry.

But, he said, the public has been "very generous'' with donations to the LCCA.

Spokeswoman for the Physical Abuse Centre Mrs. June Augustus echoed similar sentiments.

"One of our problems was that we'd always kept a low profile,'' she said.

"But this year with all the publicity, the public have been extremely good.

"We have enough food for the next three months.'' Mrs. Augustus said the Centre also received a sewing machine, iron, and other household items that were much needed.

But she said the Centre, as is the norm at Christmas and summer time, is expected to be fully occupied over the holidays.

And she said overall "the needs have been greater this year''.

Acting chairman of the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association Mr. Willard Fox said that organisation also received greater demands for its help.

Noting that the charity has five separate funds -- including one for education -- to assist the physically disabled, Mr. Fox said donations to any are appreciated.

He said donations received so far this year were "excellent''.

"They came in nice and handy,'' he added, "because we just purchased a new vehicle in August and to license it alone is $1,700 a year. We can also always use donations for its maintenance.'' Mr. Fox said the Association also planned to start a travelling fund in the new year.

The fund, which will be set up in the name of former chairperson the late Ms Margaret Carter, will allow the physically disabled to go on educational trips and to share what they have learned when they return, he explained.

Needy families received early Christmas presents when almost 400 food baskets were given out.

The food basket project was organised by the Lions and Lionesses clubs of Bermuda and supported by the MarketPlace.

Customers were asked to buy non-perishable goods and donate them to the cause.

A variety of baskets were distributed to almost 400 families of differing sizes. The surplus food was given to local rest homes.

Mr. Joe Ferreira, spokesperson for the Lions, said "The generosity this year has just been outstanding.'' "Id like to give a very grateful thank you to everyone for allowing this opportunity,'' he added.

Mr. Ferreira also thanked the Bank of Bermuda who loaned the empty BGA warehouse on Par-La-Ville road free of charge to the volunteers so they would have a place to sort the food.

This was the fourth annual Lions and Lionesses Christmas food basket drive.

IN MEMORY OF -- Mr. Ronald Thorne presents a $1,000 cheque to Patience Assistance League chairman Mrs. Ann Smith-Gordon. The money was raised during a December 13 dart tournament at the Sandys Boat Club in memory of Mr.

Thorne's father, James Thorne Jr. who died last year.*l