Festive fire hero Les delivers Christmas cheer and crisis support

Les Nicoll, Safeguarding Officer for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, has once again been spreading holiday cheer by delivering Christmas hampers to hundreds of families in need across North Essex.

Dedicated community servant Les calls the initiative ‘One Beautiful Free Day of Poverty.’ It has become a cherished tradition for his charity, the North Essex Support Team (NEST) bringing warmth and happiness to those in need.

The hampers were delivered across three days to Colchester, Clacton and Harwich.

The preparations for this started weeks before with volunteers coming together to support Les with wrapping hundreds of gifts, cooking and freezing turkeys and collecting different items for the hamper.

Les said: “We have successfully delivered over 170 Christmas hampers to families in need across North Essex. Making Christmas morning special for nearly 400 children.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to our generous communities who made donations to create the hampers. As well as the hundreds of amazing volunteers and colleagues who helped me put the whole thing together and spread Christmas joy to the very poorest families in our town and beyond.

“I have received so many heartfelt messages from families receiving the hampers. I cannot say thank you enough to the Service who support me with this every year and everyone else who has made Christmas this year a legacy that will support families for years to come.”

Working with Sarah Nicholson from Harwich Hive, NEST is going to operate a pop-up crisis Foodbank for emergency support on Friday 29th December. It is taking place in the Community room at Dovercourt Fire Station from 10.00am until 12.30pm.