Charities overwhelmed by amazing Christmas spirit of Calderdale residents

The kindness of people in Calderdale will bring joy to thousands of the area’s most vulnerable families this Christmas.
Some of the team from Focus4Hope and Calderdale LighthouseSome of the team from Focus4Hope and Calderdale Lighthouse
Some of the team from Focus4Hope and Calderdale Lighthouse

Charities who work across the borough have been speaking of the incredible response they have had from residents and businesses to their requests for donations via their festive appeals.

With families facing rising energy bills, hikes in food prices, cuts to Universal Credit and the country still recovering from the pandemic, there have been fears that the gifts and food hampers provided by local good causes are going to be needed this year more than any other.

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The borough’s charities have been working hard to ensure no one goes without this Christmas.

Amber Ray from St Augustine's Centre in HalifaxAmber Ray from St Augustine's Centre in Halifax
Amber Ray from St Augustine's Centre in Halifax

Among them are Focus4Hope and Calderdale Lighthouse who, thanks to people’s generosity, will be providing 1,900 children with Christmas gifts and delivering more than 300 hampers.

Each including a week’s worth of food, including a Christmas dinner, those hampers will put food in more than 1,100 mouths.

The gifts have been provided thanks to people signing up to be matched with a child to buy for.

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Focus4Hope, which is based in Brighouse but helps people all over Calderdale, has thanked the individuals and firms who donated, as well as Calderdale Community Foundation who gave them a grant for the hampers.

Founder and Chief Executive Louise Reed said: “It’s overwhelming. Within seven days of making our appeal for gift pledges, we had 800 presents to give.

“It restores your faith in humanity, the fact that a lot of people are struggling and they still want to give.”

Nicola Freemantle, also from the charity, added: “We couldn’t do this without them.”

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Diane Barker from Calderdale Lighthouse, a charity based in Halifax and helping families all over Calderdale, said the level of poverty they see is heartbreaking but it amazes them how much people want to help.

She said people’s kindness has been staggering.

”It amazes us that we ask for things and people give them,” she added.

The Christmas appeals have meant hours of extra work for the volunteers who give up their time for the charities involved. There have been plenty of early starts and late nights for the teams as they work to co-ordinate the appeals, wrap presents and put hampers together, and distribute them.

Mothershare is hoping to bring some festive magic to the vulnerable Calderdale families it supports by providing everything they need at Christmas.

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As well as toys, they have been flooded with offers of festive food, Christmas jumpers, advent calendars and wrapping paper.

Kim Sheddon, from the charity, said: “Every day we’ve had people at the door offering something. It’s been fantastic.

“People are just doing their best to support the children of Calderdale.”

She said the number of businesses who have helped has also been huge. “We’ve been inundated,” she added.

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People can still support their appeal by adding a donation bauble when shopping at Morrisons in Illingworth or by donating gift cards suitable for older children.

Calderdale SmartMove, which helps a huge range of vulnerable and poverty-hit Calderdale residents, is looking for donations of new toys, selection boxes and men’s toiletries, hats, scarves and gloves.

Donations can be dropped at their office on Harrison Road. For more information call 01422 361515.

The team at St Augustine’s Centre also say they have been buoyed by the huge amount of support they have received from people all over Calderdale.

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The charity, which helps people forced to flee from their home countries, has thanked the residents and businesses who have flocked to offer help, particularly as Christmas approaches.

Amber Ray, from St Augustine’s Centre, said: “The past year has been particularly difficult for the refugees and people seeking asylum who we help - with Covid-19, the Afghan crisis and the damaging Borders Bill - but the community always galvanise our spirits with their giving nature, open hearts and commitment to creating a welcoming valley.

“We have been overwhelmed with an outpouring of support this Christmas. We are especially grateful to the independent, small businesses of Halifax who have continued to give despite the financial difficulties presented by Covid-19.

“Thank you to them, our tireless volunteers, and the kind people of Calderdale!”