A TILLICOULTRY woman has once again collected gifts to be distributed to those in need.

Kelly-Marie Hearsum has been making gift boxes for Home Start, collecting 92 so far including school essentials, Easter eggs, DVDs and more.

Not for the first time, Kelly-Marie has taken it upon herself to collects donations and prepare them to give to those in need.

Last Christmas, she filled hampers with essential items to give to local charities and other good causes.

She has also created winter packs for rough sleepers back in 2018, and then a year later she organized a spooky stroll for youngsters, with all money raised from that event going to Strathcarron Hospice.

Asked where the desire to help others came from, Kelly-Marie said: "The drive started years ago, I was in a bad place and a stranger helped me to get out.

"Now I want to help others.

"I don't just do it for that reason, I do it because I enjoy it.

"It's good for my kids too, because they're growing up learning to respect their community.

"My kids are only young so I try and put the drive into them that you need to be kind to people, help others out and one day that'll return to you."

Kelly-Marie has been helped out once again by B&M, her employer, and she chose Home Start as a lot of families are struggling right now.

The Clacks woman continued: "I've got young kids myself, I know how hard it is.

"These gifts are really just to put a smile on people's faces, it must be hard sitting in the house with your kids not knowing what to do."

Some of Kelly-Marie's gifts have DVDs for adults and kids plus sweets, school supplies and more. She's also collected around 50 easter eggs to donate.

She continued: "The aim is just to cheer people up in what is such a hard time."