SEVEN HUNDRED Wexford town families will require help from the St. Vincent de Paul to see them through this Christmas.

'We have larger numbers looking for help this year. It is very noticeable,' said Seán Kinsella this week, as he co-ordinated the distribution of hundreds of food hampers across the town.

The loss of the Christmas bonus to Social Welfare recipients has forced people to turn to the St. Vincent de Paul this year. 'The loss of the Christmas bonus was an awful cut for people who were really depending on it.

'It was something that was always there for a long number of years, and now people just don't have it,' he said.

This week's harsh winter weather has also made people seek help to heat their homes.

'We would have to help people with coal as well as food this year. Those are the two basics,' he said.

'In Wexford town you would be talking about six to seven hundred families seeking assistance from the St. Vincent de Paul,' said Seán, who said that they receive a lot of help from the Wexford Lion's Club and the Rotary Club.

Seán was also thankful to church goers who contributed a massive € 27,000 in the parishes of Wexford and Clonard last week at the annual St. Vincent de Paul Church door collection.

'It was a magnificent collection, and will go a long way towards helping people. I cannot thank the people of Wexford enough. These are ordinary, church going people. It shows that they have their priorities right, and will share what they have with others,' he said.

The St. Vincent de Paul will be busy right up to the wire on Christmas Eve delivering hampers to the needy, while the local Meals on Wheels will work on Christmas Day to deliver sixty dinners to people all over the town.

'We may even have a few callers off the road, who are welcome and will be fed on Christmas Day,' said Seán.

- Anne Marie O'CONNOR