Almost as traditional as mince pies and mulled wine, an organisation is set to bring seasonal joy to their community once more – as they have done for many years.

The Christmas preparations have already begun for the Lowestoft Lions with a festive hamper draw.

Their members spent last weekend in Morrison's Superstore in Tower Road, Pakefield offering shoppers a chance to win one of three large hampers or three store gift vouchers as prizes in a raffle.

The proceeds will partly fund 66 Christmas grocery hampers for needy families and individuals.

More than £2,000 worth of groceries have been packed into food parcels with each hamper including a Christmas pudding and cake, biscuits, tins of soup, fruit, vegetables and chocolate - sufficient to ensure that the recipients would have the ingredients for a good meal on Christmas Day.

These will be delivered to deserving elderly people, to families and individuals.

Meanwhile the Lowestoft Lions Santa sleigh, which has become a familiar annual sight in the weeks before Christmas as it is parked at supermarkets and shopping centres around town, will return again this year.

Santa will be on his traditional transport complete with reindeer figures meeting shoppers and listening to children's Christmas gift wishes.

Lowestoft Lions club members are all volunteers as they fundraise for the community. This year they will spend 11 days at local supermarkets on the following dates: Co-op in Ashburnham Way on December 13; B&M in Tower Road on December 14-15; Morrisons in North Quay on December 17-18; Tesco in Leisure Way on December 19-21 and Morrisons in Gisleham on December 22-24.

Lions' president John Swatton said: "The sleigh attracts a lot of attention from shoppers and the reaction on their children's faces is a delight to see. "We use monies raised from the sleigh collections to help less fortunate people as well as deserving causes."

He added: "Finally on Christmas Day, Lowestoft Lions will be on hand when more than 300 people brave the chilly North Sea to take part in the Lowestoft Christmas charity swim to raise money for local good causes.

"A team of Lowestoft Lions will help to collect donations in buckets from hundreds of spectators who line the prom and beach watching the swim."