A partnership project with The Handy Trust, Fawley Youth Life and Gang Warily Scout and Guide HQ
2023 saw the return of our Waterside Christmas appeal project. This year, the local businesses that supported us by providing local drop-off points for donations were:
· The Manna House Bakery, Marchwood
· Hays Travel, Hythe
· Tesco, Applemore
· Dibden Purlieu Post office
· Gang Warily
· Thurstons, Holbury (a special thank you for creating all our posters free of charge)
· Compuco, Blackfield
· Fawley Express, Fawley
We want to all say a massive thank you to our drop-off points who advertised the appeal and looked after all the donations we had ready for us to collect.
Also, a huge thank you to –
· The Old Mill, Holbury who raised funds for us through their Christmas raffle
· Waterside Community fund providing funds towards the appeal
· Waterside Women for their donation of gift vouchers for the teenagers we supported
· The Scratch project for providing us with a generous donation
· Councillor Patrick Mballa for a generous donation
· Mary Trattle trust for a generous donation
· Fawley Parish Council for allowing us use of a gifting room which transformed into an Elves workshop
· The Waterside Food project and WasteNot WantNot for collecting gifts for the project
· Coxlease School for collecting items for the appeal
And, of course, a massive thank you to each and every person who donated to the appeal whether it was money, a Christmas dinner, colouring pencils, wrapping paper or a bigger gift! We appreciate every single person who supported the appeal, as well as the many offers of help with running the project. You are all amazing!
WITH THANKS TO ALL THOSE ABOVE, AND THE PROJECT TEAM WE SUPPORTED
265 CHILDREN FROM 82 FAMILIES IN THE WATERSIDE AREA!!
· 18 Marchwood families
· 35 Hythe and Dibden families
· 28 Fawley families
Referrals made:
· 55 families via The Handy Trust, 22 of these were self-referrals
· 5 families via Fawley Youth Life
· 17 families via schools
· 2 families via social services
· 3 families via local voluntary agencies
Some comments of thanks we had from families who received our support:
“wow. Can’t thank you enough for the amazing gifts you have given us! Your help has made our Christmas”
“just want to say a big thank you for the presents and how much it has really helped me out, so grateful and overwhelmed of the kindness of you all”
“thank you so much, the gifts are so lovely I am honestly so grateful to you all”
“I have been so worried about Christmas and feeling sad I couldn’t provide for my family this year but you have changed that for us all!”
Each parcel delivered was able to provide three gifts, arts and crafts activities, family games, books and many had wrapping paper and sellotape too!
This project brings our community together to support local families who are struggling, fearing Christmas and how they will cope financially at this time. This year, 82 families are going to find the magic in Christmas again knowing local people and business care and were able to donate despite us all feeling the price hikes this year. Due to generosity of both Tesco Applemore (thank you to Community Champion Heidi) and local donators, we were able to provide 12 full Christmas dinners with special Christmas treats! We are so proud to live and work in this community and our team are forever grateful to be able to carry out such a rewarding, amazing project.
We look forward to doing this again in 2024
From us all at Waterside Christmas Appeal