'Sometimes you just pull through but we get there'

Becky Robinson said events like Family Action's lunch meant "everything" to the community

A mum-of-two said she began budgeting for Christmas six months early, but the "best time of year" could still be a struggle.

"Sometimes you just pull through – but we get there," said Becky Robinson, 29, from Peterborough.

Families at a preschool in the Welland area of the city were invited to a subsidised Christmas meal to mark the festive season, without worrying about the cost.

Family Action, which organised Thursday's lunch, said supporting families in the community made a "huge difference" to parents and their children's lives.

Miss Robinson said: "I do budget and it's a case of, 'We've got this much for Christmas presents this month and the rest will go on food'."

She said events like Family Action's lunch meant "everything", adding: "My daughter's running around somewhere and [I'm] having a conversation with people on the same level as me."

Miss Robinson's advice to other families was to get presents early and buy in the sales where possible.

"If I don't start six months early, we don't get nowhere."

Teresa Duncombe said the donated gifts helped take the pressure off families

Teresa Duncombe, a preschool supervisor for Family Action, prepared the three-course meal, which cost £5 for adults and £3 for children.

Parents were given ideas of free activities to do over Christmas and the children left with a cake in a goody bag.

Once the clean-up was done, Ms Duncombe began preparations to distribute about 100 toys to families in the community.

"A lot of our families are worried about presents for the children," she said.

"Taking that pressure off of them and coming in and celebrating is just a lovely way to end the term."

The lunch included free activities for the children, who were sent away with goody bags

The presents are given to the parents unwrapped, so they can see them and wrap them in their own paper.

"They might have special labels they use for presents from Santa."

Family Action expects to distribute more than 15,000 gifts to children across the country, which have been donated by companies and individuals.

Ms Duncombe said she still worried that some children might be without a present on Christmas Day and think it was their fault.

"Families are worried that their children are going to feel that they're naughty because they're not going to get any presents.

"We know that children are amazing."