Coronavirus has had an impact across each of our communities, and many families will find themselves struggling this Christmas. This year, Community is encouraging our members who can to support a local Christmas toy appeal to help families provide for their children.
The ongoing pandemic has shown us what we can achieve when our communities come together, and by working together we can ensure no child misses out this Christmas.
For those that don’t have a local toy collection, Community are promoting Aspire, Ambition, Achieve‘s toy appeal for children in Newham. The charity provide each child or young person referred to the appeal a Christmas stocking with new gifts specific to their age, needs and abilities. As a result of significantly increased demand, they are aiming to reach 2,000 children this year.
To support the Aspire, Ambition, Achieve toy appeal you can either buy a gift here, or donate to the appeal here.
Read the stories of the families who will be helped by the appeal here:
Two parent family with two children (11 and 14) sharing rented accommodation with the children’s grandfather. Mum has significant mental health needs and she spends most of every day in bed oblivious to what is going on around her. Dad has had to give up work to become the prime carer for the family.
As a result, the family are now entirely reliant on benefits, which do not cover their entire weekly rent on their property, so they are continually struggling to cover the basic costs of food, heat and light, which they cannot do without regular support from food banks.The home is very sparsely furnished. The children have just a few books and games and enjoy very few treats.
Both children have personal and emotional needs and receive regular personal mentoring and group work support, which is helping greatly. They are underachieving educationally but trying very hard to make progress. They regularly care for their mother.
Overall the family just live day to day, struggling hard to go forward instead of letting their situation deteriorate further.
Another family, that are seeking help this Christmas:
Two parent family, seeking asylum with no recourse to public funds. Family had to flee their homeland as they feared for their lives.Four children 1, 6, 8 and 12.
Father has to get whatever work he can, regardless of the Covid-19 risk so that he can feed the children, Family live in poor quality overcrowded rooms above a shop with shared facilities and no garden space.
Children all work hard at school and are determined to do their bed for mum and dad. Family reliant on regular support from food banks and clothing banks. Material possessions are few but love is in abundance.
Children have no access to TV, only a few broken toys and second-hand books – which they all love.The family live in constant fear of having to return to their homeland. There is no spare money to purchase gifts.
If you want to support families like these this Christmas you can buy a gift here, or donate to the appeal here.
© Community Trade Union 2024