A Cornish food bank is brightening the lives of hundreds of children this Christmas thanks to a festive donation from Penryn-based autism charity Spectrum.

Youngsters living in Camborne, Pool and Redruth will receive a special gift to open on Christmas Day after Spectrum provided the CPR FoodBank with 300 presents.

The charity, which offers residential care, education and support for people with autism, delivered a sleighful of presents to the West Cornwall foodbank. They will be handed out along with Christmas meals to vulnerable families across the area.

Don Gardner, manager of the CPR FoodBank, said: “To see the looks on these children’s faces is unbelievable. We deliver the presents along with Christmas Day meals and if it wasn’t for these donations, many families would go without.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive such a generous donation from Spectrum and I don’t think we would be able to offer these gifts to children and vulnerable families across West Cornwall without them.”

Footballs, teddy bears, toy cars and puzzles are among the piles of presents donated by kind hearted members of Spectrum staff to the food bank. The gifts have all been wrapped and are set to be handed out to families ahead of the big day along with festive presents from local people and a local clothing bank.

Mary Simpson, chief executive of Spectrum, said: “We already work closely with Don and his team because a number of people that Spectrum supports volunteer at the foodbank, packing and organising food parcels.

“Christmas can be a very difficult time for people trying to make ends meet so we were keen to help out in any way we could. Knowing that the gifts we delivered will put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas morning is so heart-warming.”

Don said offering people with autism the chance to volunteer at the foodbank was having a very positive impact: “Helping us allows them to go in to and learn about the workplace and the difference in this group of volunteers since they first came to us has been phenomenal. Their confidence has just grown and grown and it has been amazing to see.”

The CPR FoodBank was launched by Don six years ago and currently provides 10,000 meals each month to those in need. For more information visit www.cprfoodbank.co.uk.