GIVING away food rather than eating it is one way to shed pounds.

But Greenock Weightwatchers are motivated by generosity rather than a desire to look slimmer as they mount a Christmas drive to help homeless people.

Weightwatchers leader Patsy Freeman has a hundred members attending her sessions every Saturday morning in Greenock’s Pirrie Hall, including Daniel Donnelly, who has lost an impressive two stones.

Former Army chef Daniel is also secretary of Inverclyde Homeless Forum, which helped to inspire Patsy to come up with the idea of a ‘reverse Advent calendar’.

Rather than plucking out a tasty treat every day in the run-up to Christmas, the super slimmers are instead donating clothing, food and toiletries for Forum members.

The festive gifts will be handed over on Saturday to the Forum, whose volunteers provide free food every Monday and Friday in St Mary’s Church hall for those who have lost their home or face the prospect of homelessness through various unfortunate circumstances.

Being homeless or desperately looking for somewhere to sleep every night must be a nerve-shredding dilemma at any time of year, but particularly so as temperatures plummet.

The Forum receives welcome support from various altruistic Inverclyde groups of all ages who fund-raise to help those who don’t have a permanent roof over their head.

In the wake of one gloomy economic forecast after another, more and more of us cannot afford to take food or a warm home for granted.