SUPPORTING the Salvation Army's Christmas appeal has become an annual duty here at The Northern Echo.

Salvation Army minister Colin Bradshaw came into our head office in Darlington last week to discuss the launch of this year's appeal.

And we agreed that it is both heartening and disappointing that the numbers of families helped keeps going up: heartening because it illustrates the generosity of people in the North-East; disappointing because the level of need shows that poverty is getting worse.

In 2011, the number of children in Darlington who received gifts through the appeal was 198. Last year, that figure had reached 465.

In addition, 230 food hampers were given to needy families in 2013 and Colin has little doubt that the numbers will increase this year.

Most of us take it for granted that we will unwrap presents on Christmas morning and eat well over the festive period but there are hundreds of families in Darlington alone who won't.

It is a shocking indictment of our society that the number of foodbanks is increasing and that there is a growing need for the Salvation Army's Christmas appeal.

Please help. Donations of tinned food and new toys and gifts suitable for children up to the age of 16 can be dropped off at The Northern Echo's head office in Priestgate, Darlington, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, at The Salvation Army citadel on Thompson Street East, and at Footprints bookshop on Skinnergate from 9am until 5pm Monday to Saturday.

Financial donations can be made at Footprints or through The Salvation Army - for more details, call 01325 380994 or visit darlingtonsalvationarmy.org.uk.

Let's all hope the number of families needing our help starts to go down.

THE other column I write for this newspaper is Dad At Large, about the ups and downs of parenthood.

Last week's column, was about how I got charged £30 instead of a tenner for my latest haircut.

The explanation was that my student son had been in for two haircuts during the holidays and told our long-standing hairdresser, Nigel Dowson, "Dad'll pay".

As usual, I asked our artist, David Wright, to produce a suitable cartoon and, having never met Cockfield's Mr Dowson, he came up with a hairdresser with a full head of hair and a beard.

The Northern Echo:

This was a problem because, as many will know, Nigel hasn't required a comb for some time.

In the old days, the artist would have had to start again but, with the wonders of computer technology, he was able to give his subject a swift haircut and shave.

The Northern Echo:

What is quite remarkable is that the second version is an uncanny likeness.

WHEN he saw the cartoon, Nigel was more concerned about his waistline than his hairline.

"How come I look two stone heavier but they've made you nice and slim?" groaned.

"Because I'm the editor," I explained.