Cheshire charity KidsBank and Cheshire Life magazine and are working together to collect and distribute new toys and gifts to families in need. Could you add an extra gift to your shopping list so children facing hardship can wake up to a happier December 25th?
This year the volunteers at KidsBank are working harder than ever to make Christmas wishes come true. Based in a former garage in Chester, these modern-day elves are administering referrals, co-ordinating lists, accepting and sorting ready for delivery.
Last year the team gave out 420 festive gifts to children and parents. This year they expect to donate at least 750. Cathy Pettingale, director of operations, says the charity is caught in a Catch 22: ‘There are more people needing help, but fewer people in a position to donate because of their own budgets.
'We try to give each child a main present, which matches their interests, and then four smaller presents. Sometimes this bundle of gifts is all they have. We are planning to take on 750 referrals, but we know there will be last-minute requests too. People try to sort it out for themselves but realise just before Christmas arrives, they can’t.’
The KidsBank helpers know the demand will be high as the charity is only just regrouping after facing unprecedented demand for school uniforms at the start of the autumn term. On the first day back after taking time to re-organise, the charity had 13 referrals of families in need, and the numbers keep rising. Referrals come in a variety of ways, including schools, social services and the police.
Kym Watson, 31, of Flintshire, a single parent of children aged three, nine and 12, says KidsBank has been their lifeline, helping her out with school uniforms. Kym referred herself after hearing about KidsBank's work and says the process was simple and supportive and that as well as providing uniforms, the charity added children’s games and other clothes.
‘I messaged the charity and they were so helpful and we had a nice chat. I didn’t have to fill in a lot of forms. It is nice that they invited me to refer myself to the Christmas list. If you are invited, you feel better. People don’t like asking and if you have asked once, you don’t always want to ask again,’ says Kym.
Knowing KidsBank will help out with Christmas gifts, has taken some pressure off her. ‘I’ve spoken to my children about how difficult Christmas will be and they understand. They said: "Don’t worry mum, we’ve got what we need". But if they could only have one new thing, it would make a difference.
'The two younger ones still believe in Santa Claus and the older one says she doesn’t, but then says she does because she doesn’t want to miss out. The three-year-old is very excited. It’s hard because they think Santa brings the presents.
‘You can be budgeting correctly and managing to pay the bills and then something extra comes along and it makes things difficult. KidsBank understand and were so helpful and lovely.’ This Christmas Kym is planning a simple dinner. ‘We usually do chicken, mash and veg and a nice pudding. My mum or my dad may come too.’
Cathy is keen to point out the charity is the middleman for the Cheshire Life Giving Appeal. ‘It is about one family giving to another family, we are just helping to make it happen. We collect and we distribute.
'We only give out new items because we want to show respect to the families we help, we want to show that we value them. Every child deserves a new Christmas present,’ she says. ‘It’s about letting families know they are seen, and we care about them.’
This is the third year that KidsBank has organised a Christmas distribution, with the pandemic interrupting in 2020. Behind each gift given, there is usually a touching reason why a person has donated.
‘Many people donate because they knew hardship when they were young and they want to give back now they are able to help out. Other families think, "what if I was in that position? I’d hope someone would help".
'Some people know their own children will receive a lot of gifts, so ask their relatives to donate to us. Sometimes we receive gifts in memory of a child who has died,’ says Cathy.
The charity is also anticipating the need for dressing gowns, slippers, nightwear and hot water bottles as families face cold nights without heating.
‘It would be wonderful if companies, office staff could have a collection and give to the appeal. It’s great that Cheshire Life has got involved, it carries immense value to our families to know that Cheshire Life readers care and respect them,’ she says.
Cheshire Life editor Joanne Goodwin says: 'KidsBank is run by a group of volunteers who work tirelessly and with great love to help families.
'This year the magazine has made the unusual, if not unprecedented decision to have a Cheshire Life Christmas appeal and we feel the most worthy cause is the local children facing a bleak Christmas.
'The magazine has many friends, both readers and advertisers, and I hope some of you are able to join the Cheshire Life team in buying a gift from the Amazon wishlist or making a financial donation.
How to give
This is how you can help to give children and families a happier Christmas this year.
Take a look through the Cheshire Life Christmas Giving Amazon Wishlist or follow the link on kidsbankchester.com to decide which gift or gifts to give, and pay.
There is a choice of smaller and larger items. Each child receives a main gift and four smaller ones such as colouring books, craft sets, games and puzzles. These will be delivered directly to the KidsBank team who will hand them on to light up the lives of youngsters on Christmas morning.
If you prefer to make a financial donation this will go towards buying £20 vouchers for children aged 10 and over and giving support to families in crisis. This can be done via bank transfer. The charity details are Nat West Bank, sort code 60-05-07, account number 22916288, account name Kidsbank Chester. Or scan this QR code to make a donation.
Please indicate you are donating to the Cheshire Life Christmas Appeal. Thank you.
