Arc Shopping Centre launches gift donation station for Gatehouse Charity

The Arc Shopping Centre has announced its gift donation station for Bury St Edmunds-based charity, Gatehouse.

The charity works with vulnerable people throughout East Anglia and has four project areas; The Home Store, The Foodbank, The Dementia Hub and The Christmas Project.

The donation station will be based adjacent to the café on the first floor of Debenhams and donation are welcomed for the Gatehouse Christmas project from December 2 to 21.

Abbie Panks, Arc Shopping Centre manager, said: “Gatehouse provides a vital service to West Suffolk all year round. Their Christmas project is the perfect way for our customers to help support the charity directly at this time of year. Christmas gifts are required for all ages and those donated will be distributed to 650 vulnerable people in the community. In addition to the donation station we will also be donating £500 which will help support the running costs of the Christmas project and making Gatehouse our Ninth Good Deed.”

The Christmas Project will see Gatehouse offer Christmas Day lunch for 150 which is provided at no cost to anyone that is vulnerable, lonely or in need and 500 hampers to those who are vulnerable and needy that are either housebound or for whatever reason can’t get to the Christmas meal.

Amanda Bloomfield, of the Gatehouse Charity, said: “We are really pleased to be chosen as one of Arc’s 10 Good Deeds. This time of year particularly we try to ensure that all those who are vulnerable in the community get to experience a pleasant Christmas and festive season. The generosity of the public in Bury St Edmunds astounds me each year and a special thank you goes to them, without whom we wouldn’t be able to offer our vital services.”