A CARE home ‘task force’ has begun helping community food banks in their bid to support families in need this winter.

It follows the introduction of food donation boxes at Colten Care’s 21 homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex, and its Ringwood head office.

Staff, residents’ families and other donors have dropped off hundreds of items in line with what local banks say is most needed.

Some Colten team members have helped by taking collected donations direct to their nearest bank, seeing first-hand how food parcels are assembled, quarantined and distributed.

Lorraine Bell, home manager at Colten’s Lymington dementia care home, Linden House, was left ‘humbled and in awe’ by her visit to the local New Forest Basics Bank.

She said: “The volunteers who give their time for free are incredible. It was a privilege see what they do.

“This is humanity at its best,” she added.