DOZENS of elderly people face missing out on much-loved Christmas food hampers this year after too few donations were received by the community centre that delivers them.

Volunteers from the Bridge Community venue, in South Woodford brought Christmas cheer to some of the borough's most vulnerable pensioners last year when they handed out the festive gifts at homes in and around the Orchard Estate.

But centre faces having to cancel the donations this year after only one donation was made by the local community and too few people came forward to help deliver them.

Usha Scott, a project co-ordinator at the centre, in Maybank Road, said: "It's just not worked out this year.

"We've not had nearly as many donations as last year.

"Also, last year we had a big group of young people based at the centre who helped us put the hampers together. Unfortunately they aren't here this year.

"It's a shame because it went so well last year

"It looks likely that we'll have to postpone this until some time in the new year - maybe February."

The Guardian has called on supermarkets from the area to come forward with food donations and volunteers to help the centre make the festive deliveries.