Volunteers from the Hackney Christmas Dinner project want to make sure young people leaving care this year have an unforgettable Christmas day. They’re asking people to help by buying a Madlug backpack and other gifts on their John Lewis gift list by December 8.

Throughout the year they work other jobs but come autumn volunteers like Natalie Mark begin to plan the special day - running purely on donations from businesses and the public.

She told the Gazette: "As many children in care experience moving around in bin bags we thought a memorable gift this year would be to provide them with their own luggage.

"I was in care and had to move from home to home in black bags. Being able to purchase my own suitcase was amazing."

The Christmas Dinner annual project was started by the Poet Lemn Sissay MBE. There are branches run by communities in Hackney, Huddersfield and Birmingham.

To gift a backpack go to: https://www.madlug.com/collections/giving-bags/products/gift-a-backpack-travel-bag-christmas-campaign-2019?variant=31130739376222

Or to see the John Lewis gift list go to using the code 776219: https://www.johnlewisgiftlist.com/giftint/JSPs/GiftList/BuyGifts/GuestFindAList.jsp