HALESOWEN charity Loaves n Fishes will be able to multiply its good work helping the needy this Christmas after a £12,000 windfall from the News.

This year over 2,000 vulnerable people have been reliant on the charity for furniture, food, bedding, electrical goods and clothing.

Newsquest Media Group, owner of the News, has given the charity £12,000 to continue its good work.

Loaves n Fishes founder Anna Hartland was overjoyed when she found out her grant to Newsquest was successful.

She said: "I cannot explain what it means to Loaves n Fishes to have had this donation, it is a real lifeline for so many people.

"We will be able to buy so many people microwaves and other essentials with this money."

She added: "Thanks to Newsquest's grant so many people will now be able to 'make a house, a home' with the goods we will be able to buy."

Mrs Hartland founded Christian based Loaves n Fishes 11 years ago in Cradley Heath but in recent years, with Government austerity measures and an economic slow down, more people rely on its handouts.

She said: "In our first year we helped 50 people with new furniture, this year we have helped 2,020 people with everything from food and clothing to furniture and electrical goods.

"Since we moved to our bigger premises on Vicarage Road we can help people in a lot more ways, homeless people can come for a shower or a cuppa, and we never ever try and send anyone away empty handed."

Nationally Newsquest, one of the country’s biggest regional publishers, is handing out more than £300,000 this year, taking its charitable giving over the last 10 years to more than £3million.

Halesowen News editor Peter John said: “Readers of the News will be familiar with the great work Loaves n Fishes do in Halesowen and this £12,000 donation will help the charity directly help the most vulnerable people in the community.

“We are delighted to be helping make a difference to people’s lives, especially at this time of the year.”