Celton Manx is supporting Isle of Man food banks with a donation of ?500.

In lieu of sending Christmas cards this year the online global sports book operator elected to donate the money to the project, which is a joint collaboration between Manx charity Housing Matters as the referral agency and the Salvation Army as fulfilment provider.

Celton Manx executive director Bill Mummery said: ‘Regrettably the need for food banks has never been greater as more and more families and individuals are experiencing hardship and are faced with impossible choices in their lives including “heating or eating”.

‘It is distressing to learn that in the Isle of Man appeals for emergency food aid in 2013 – not purely over the Christmas period – will be double those in 2012.

‘Food crisis is a community problem that demands a community response. We hope that our contribution helps in a small way to ease the growing “hidden problem” of food poverty.’