A care home has gathered dozens of items to help families in need as the weather gets colder.

To celebrate this year’s Harvest Festival, residents and staff at Care UK’s Ancasta Grove, on Barnes Lane, encouraged the community to donate food items to the home’s food bank drop-off point.

The drop-off point, located in the care home’s reception area for a number of weeks, received a bounty of non-perishable goods.

These were then donated to Fareham Food Bank, with a special handover ceremony taking place this week. The items will now be distributed to families in need.

Resident Frances Weaver, 93, said: "I loved being involved in this donation. Too many people today are struggling, so it’s wonderful to support in any way. We are blessed to live here."

Audrey Chiduku, home manager at Ancasta Grove, said: "At Ancasta Grove, we are always looking for ways to give back and support our community and local charities, which is why we were delighted to partner with Fareham Food Bank and launch our first ever foodbank drop-off point.

"In these challenging times, we know many people may be struggling, and with Christmas fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to support foodbanks, which provide a vital lifeline for many members of our local community.

"We hope the donations will help families in need of support across Southampton during the colder months."

Harvest Festival, which dates back to when people relied on local crops for food, is a time for reflection and gratitude.

The festival marked the gathering of crops from fields and was a way for farmers to give thanks for a good harvest.

For more information about Care UK’s Harvest Festival, visit careuk.com/harvest-festival.