WHILST Christmas is a festive occasion for most, young people leaving the care system can often be forgotten.

The Deeside Round Table donated funds from their 'charity pot' to help towards the essential items that are taken for granted.

The Flintshire Leaving Care Team was presented with £1,000 which will go towards Christmas hampers for young people leaving the care system.

A spokesman for Deeside Round Table said: "We were delighted to be able to present the Flintshire Leaving Care Team with a cheque for £1,000.

"Christmas is a joyous occasion for so many families but for young people leaving the care system for the first time it can be lonely and scary.

"The young people that this team work with were removed from their family units and entered the care system for a variety of reasons, including neglect, parental addiction, violence and abuse.

"As such, when they leave the care system they are still vulnerable and do not have the family support network that most of us can count on.

"They have no one to buy them a Christmas gift, no one to share Christmas dinner with and nobody to share Christmas memories with.

"Our donation will help the Leaving Care Team prepare Christmas hampers for these young people, providing them with some of the essentials that most of us take for granted. Importantly, it'll also show them that someone, somewhere, cares about them."

The Deeside Round Table raises funds from annual events such as the firework display and the Santa Float, which is then distributed back into the local community via donations to groups and causes.

The charity spokesman added: "We could not make these community donations without you and our dedicated team of volunteers who organise lots and lots of community events and who will soon be treading the streets with Father Christmas himself on the Santa Float.

So, when you see the Santa Float and volunteers with buckets, please, please remember that 100 per cent of the money that we raise for charity is donated to worthy and needy groups and individuals in our local community, just like this one.

"Your spare change will enable us to show other lost and lonely people that someone, somewhere cares for them."

More information about where the Santa Float will be visiting can be found on the Deeside Round Table Facebook page.