People are being asked to help elderly and vulnerable people battling fuel poverty.

Dorset Community Foundation is looking for people to help with donations for its Surviving Winter appeal. 

The appeal, run in partnership with Citizens Advice in Dorset, distributes £200 grants to pensioners and vulnerable people aged 50 and over living in fuel poverty.

These people often can only afford to heat one room for a few hours a day and routinely skip meals to save money for their fuel bills.

Over the last five years in Dorset, according to the Office For National Statistics, an average of 590 people have died from cold-related illness over the winter.

Chief Executive Grant Robson said: “In previous years we have asked people who feel they don’t need their government Winter Fuel Allowance to ‘recycle’ it so we can give it to someone in need.

“Although fewer people might feel they are in that position because of the economic situation, we hope they will still be generous and help us because cold homes and poor diet can be killers.

“We will be relying on the wonderful donors who have given us such fantastic support over the last 13 years to do so again.”

To find out more about the Surviving Winter appeal or to donate visit tinyurl.com/yup9yeh3