STAFF at a bank have donated a host of Christmas hampers to an organisation for elderly people who may feel alone this festive season.

Staff from Lloyds Cardnet at Phoenix House, Basildon handed over specially made Christmas hampers to the Age Matters Befrienders.

The group, which is based in the George Hurd Centre, took delivery of the hampers, filled with festive treats and food yesterday morning.

Last year, staff from Lloyds Cardnet donated 70 hampers to the volunteers, who alongside the staff went out and visited elderly residents across Basildon.

All the residents that were visited by the group are members of the befrienders service, where a volunteer visits them to talk once a week.