The Rushen Players amateur drama group has used the proceeds from one of its most recent shows to donate more than £500 to the Isle of Man Foodbank.

The group brought the hugely popular tale of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens to the Erin Arts Centre in November last year, and raised £276 thanks to the generosity of audiences.

The Rushen Players then added another £250 for a total of £526, which was given to the Foodbank recently during a special cheque presentation.

The idea to raise money for the Foodbank came from A Christmas Carol itself, with generosity towards mankind being a prevalent theme of the book.

A spokesperson from the Rushen Players commented: ‘Charles Dickens grew up in poverty, so once he became a successful writer, he was determined to raise awareness about the desperate lives of poor Victorians who were suffering from hunger and deprivation.

‘His touching Christmas story was directly responsible for a huge rise in charitable donations during his lifetime and encouraged those in positions of power to address the conditions that were causing so much suffering.

‘More than a hundred years later, we still have many people in our communities who need help making ends meet, but thanks to initiatives including Isle of Man Foodbank, such assistance is available.

‘It may now be June, but it is always the right time to support the Foodbank.

‘As Scrooge observed in the play, “I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year”.’

To find out more, including how to make contributions and volunteer, you can contact [email protected] or phone 431032.

For further information about Rushen Players, including their next production ‘Heartbreak House’, you can follow them on Facebook or visit http://www.rushenplayers.org/