IN February 2022 Coleraine local, Anthony Bolden, approached Mark Thomas from the Hamilton Salvation Army, and asked him how things were going in the community, he told Anthony that it wasn’t going so well, and that he was supplying around 120 meals and hampers to families in need.

Mr Bolden then asked how he could help.

“During that conversation I came up with the idea of getting people to donate non-perishable food and sanitary items into a donation bin in my driveway,” he said.

“It started well and grew quickly, as did the numbers of people needing help, which is now up to 240 families in our community needing help.

“We now have donation bins in Coles Hamilton, Coleraine IGA, and Casterton Foodworks – with the amount of donations varying but normally good and Mark Thomas collects the donations from my driveway each week, with quite often the goods going directly into hampers.

“Last year we had our first Tins in the Bins Family Fun Day at the Coleraine Railway Reserve – we raised $6300 through this event and that money has mostly gone straight back into the community.

“We purchased $1500 worth of Casterton Foodworks for Christmas hampers through St Vincent de Paul in Casterton, $500 worth of Kmart vouchers for Christmas presents through the Salvation Army in Hamilton, and we gave $1500 to the Hamilton Uniting Church which filled Christmas hampers in Hamilton and surrounding areas.

“Recently we purchased 12 $75 K-Hub vouchers for back-to-school items going to families in need in Coleraine and Hamilton – all this was achieved thanks to our Family Fun Day last November which we will have again this year on Saturday, November 16 at the Coleraine Railway Reserve.

“Without our great community supporting our cause with donations in our supermarkets feeding families in need would not be possible.”