Residents, families, staff and well-wishers at seven Colten Care homes supported an appeal to collect hundreds of chocolate gifts for less fortunate children at Christmas.

More than 300 selection boxes and advent calendars have been gathered at the homes’ collection points this year, triple the number last year.

Voluntary group Chocolate Elf Hampshire has now taken the gifts for distribution to children across south Hampshire via partners such as the city council children services’ teams in Southampton and Portsmouth, respite homes, refuges, faith groups and the young carers’ charity Honeypot.

Colten Care’s New Forest homes Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge, Linden House, Woodpeckers and Kingfishers all acted as collection points this year, along with Colten’s Winchester homes Abbotts Barton and St Catherines View.

As he visited Belmore Lodge in Lymington to pick up the New Forest gifts, Chocolate Elf representative Peter Orme said: “Every single donation will transform a child’s day. It’s a humbling experience to see the amount of gifts these amazing care home residents, staff and contacts have amassed. Along with my fellow volunteers, I can only offer the most enormous gratitude.

“To have increased the number of gifts by so many this year is truly outstanding, even more so when you think of the tough times people are seeing right now with the cost of living. I’m glad I brought the bigger car to collect everything.”

Belmore Lodge resident Brenda Close said: “I used to work in a women’s refuge as a volunteer and met lots of children who had nothing. Some of the children we’re helping today won’t have any other present this Christmas. This will be their only gift. It’s lovely to do something but help is always needed.”

Fellow resident Linda Fudge added: “This is a marvellous initiative for Christmas. There are so many children in need and, after all, they didn’t ask to be put in that position.”     

The Colten Care donations will go towards a grand total of more than 5,000 gifts that Chocolate Elf expects to distribute this year.

Tracy Baker, customer support advisor for Belmore Lodge and Court Lodge, said: “Our residents and their families, and our colleagues and friends in the community, understand the fantastic work that Chocolate Elf does for children in Hampshire and we always want to do our bit to help.

“After we reached out on social media, one lady we know in Brockenhurst dropped off more than 30 calendars from herself and neighbours while another handed in 20. Supporting such a worthwhile cause is a further way our residents maintain their community connections.”