Whiteley Shopping Centre is calling on customers to spread festive cheer in the community.

The centre has teamed up with Age Concern Hampshire to launch a Merry Mailbox initiative, collecting Christmas postcards for older community members.

Locals can collect a bespoke Whiteley and Age Concern Hampshire Christmas postcard from the Merry Mailbox at the centre, write their wishes, and post it into the special post box located in Market Square.

Postcards will be sent via Age Concern Hampshire to local residents to arrive in plenty of time for Christmas.

Mia Thompson, centre manager at Whiteley Shopping Centre, said: "While Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for many of us, sadly for some in our community it can feel isolating.

"It’s our visitors who make Christmas so special for us here at Whiteley, so we know we can count on them to spread some festive cheer to those who need it most.

"We hope our ‘Merry Mailbox’ will help to bring a few more smiles over the seasonal period and make sure no one feels alone."

Brogan Rehill, head of fundraising and volunteer services at Age Concern Hampshire, said: "We know that over two million older people across the UK say they feel lonely at Christmas* and for many, it can often be the most isolating time of the year.

"That’s why we’re so pleased to partner with Whiteley on the ‘Merry Mailbox’ initiative, to be able to share messages from people in the community with our members to help them feel more connected this Christmas.

"We’d encourage as many people as possible to take part, as just one postcard could make all the difference for someone spending Christmas alone."

Whiteley Shopping Centre is calling on customers to help spread festive cheer in the community this Christmas.

The centre has teamed up with Age Concern Hampshire to launch a ‘Merry Mailbox’ initiative, which will involve collecting heartfelt Christmas postcards to be distributed to older members of the community over the festive period.