Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

The Heysham power stations have been getting in the festive mood with a series of Christmas activities to support local charities.

As well as raising almost £7,000 in charity donations, workers at the EDF sites have also gathered food, clothes and gifts and have delivered

cards for the local community.

At Heysham 1, a Christmas Dinner collection raised more than £1,000 for the Morecambe Bay Foodbank.

From left: Lydia Smith and Kerry Robinson from the Heysham Power stations with Laura and Tracy from Safenet Lancaster and District.

The Lancaster & District Homeless Action Service received a £1,200 donation following a festive gate collection on Christmas Jumper Day and

three car loads full of gifts were donated to Safenet Lancaster via the Giving Tree initiative.

This saw staff donate presents for vulnerable women and children in the area.

Heysham 1’s Station Director, Martin Cheetham, said: “Christmas should be a happy time spent with family and friends but for some it can be really difficult as the financial pressures they are feeling come to a head.

From left: Heysham visitor centre guides Maria Berry, Kerry Robinson and Sarah Noon with cards and presents to deliver to residents at Fernbank Lodge in Heysham.

“The Heysham sites are an integral part of the local community so it is heartening to see the generosity shown by our staff at this time of year.”

Over at Heysham 2, the Christmas Dinner collection raised £1,400 for West End Impact and a further £2,300 was raised for the St John’s Hospice in Lancaster through its festive gate collection.

Heysham 2 also raised in £1,000 for the Loyne Specialist School in Lancaster by holding a festive bake sale.

The site sponsored the Heysham village Christmas lights and a clothes drive was held to collect clothes for Smart Works UK, which dresses and coaches unemployed women who have suffered domestic abuse.

A van load of food donations have also been made to the Morecambe foodbank across the two sites.

Acting station director, Ian Glaves, said: “It is great to see the range of charities we have been able to support across the two sites this year.

“As well as lighting up the Heysham Village Christmas lights, we’ve been able to support seven other charitable organisations.

"Hopefully we have gone some way to lighting up their Christmases too.”

Staff from the Heysham Visitor Centre also played postie to care home residents in the area.

Guides delivered more than 250 Christmas cards written by staff and their families to 11 local care homes to make sure residents received some cards.

Fran Grimmett, visitor centre co-ordinator, said: “This is the second year we have run the drive and it has gone from strength to strength.

“Staff here have made a great effort to make sure we have plenty of cards to hand out and it was lovely to be able to deliver the cards to the homes to make sure they knew people were thinking of them this Christmas.”

Heysham power stations spread some festive spirit this Christmas

Guides delivered more than 250 Christmas cards written by staff and their families to 11 local care homes to make sure residents received some cards.

Fran Grimmett, visitor centre co-ordinator, said: “This is the second year we have run the drive and it has gone from strength to strength.

“Staff here have made a great effort to make sure we have plenty of cards to hand out and it was lovely to be able to deliver the cards to the homes to make sure they knew people were thinking of them this Christmas.”