Jade Sutton, health officer with the Foundation, helped organise this year’s Christmas Shoebox appeal, with donations received of new toys and gifts to pass on to children of different ages.
These presents were then shared between children accessing the Good Shepherd charity and the Women and Families Resource Centre, in addition to some fun snowman craft bags.
Young Wolves helped to support the initiative, along with Wolverhampton Ladies Rugby Club and Castlecroft Medical Practice.
A group of hairdressing and beauty students from South Staffordshire College in Tamworth also put together a number of presents for the shoebox appeal.
And Alfie and Jacob, players from Wolves Disability, supported Jade and the Foundation’s Health & Wellbeing Manager Rachel Smith with the drop-off of the presents in the lead-up to Christmas.
"We would like to say a big thank you to the Wolves Foundation for the extremely kind and generous donation of Christmas gifts to the families we work with,” said Karyne Tazi, Executive Director at the Women and Families Resource Centre in Wolverhampton.
“2020 has been a tough year for everyone, particularly for many families who had already been living in poverty, destitution or experiencing crises before the pandemic.
“Many of our families had already resigned themselves to a Christmas with no singing, no Christmas tree, no lights and no presents.
“These gifts will act as a lifeline for so many families who had already given up on Christmas this year.
“You have helped us bring a message of care, love and hope to many vulnerable children and families across the city of Wolverhampton.”
Tom Hayden, Head of Operations at the Good Shepherd, also said the presents will have a hugely positive impact on those accessing the charity, which provides both food and a variety of other support services.
“At the Good Shepherd we support a large number of families who regularly visit us each week, and we know that so many people are finding things tough financially at the moment,” said Tom.
“For many of these families, it is not just the children who benefit from these presents but the parents, who are able to see their children being able to enjoy a time of year which otherwise would prove very difficult.
“We try and do whatever we can to give our families the chance to enjoy Christmas like everyone would want to, and such a generous donation of presents from the Wolves Foundation will have a really positive impact.
“We would like to thank the Foundation and everyone else who has donated a present or played a part in helping us bring Christmas to life for children in the families that access our services.”
News of the Christmas Shoebox appeal is today’s instalment of the Foundation’s ’12 Days Of Christmas’ series of news stories. Pop back tomorrow as we hit the halfway point with a look back on 2020.
