Council collects Christmas gifts for vulnerable families
For the fifth year, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has collected and delivered Christmas gifts for local vulnerable families who are staying in temporary accommodation over the festive period.
The aim is to spread a little Christmas sparkle for families who, for various reasons, couldn’t be in their own homes this Christmas time.
The intiative, which was organised by the council’s Temporary Accommodation team, is a collaborative effort and has again been hugely successful, with over 260 gifts given out to 112 households, which make up the council’s temporary accommodation.
Council staff, their friends and family, and Councillors contributed to the donations, alongside generous local businesses and organisations such as Press and Starkey, Capsticks LLP, Braiser Freeth, Baldwin and Bleakley Electrical Services, Equans, and Marbank Construction Limited.
Donations included gift vouchers for supermarkets and Campus West, and for dining out, as well as toys, games, toiletries and other goods. Donations of luxury food items such as tubs of chocolates, mince pies and selection boxes were used for specially made up gift bags.
Councillor Gemma Moore, Executive Member Housing, said:
This initative is something that we are passionate about and I’m proud that we’ve been doing this for five years now. Hopefully the gifts provides some light at a difficult time, espeically for children. A big thank you to all those who donated as well as the local businesses and partner organisations who also made generous donations – we couldn’t make this work as effectively without them.
Grant, currently living at Inspira House, said:
Thank you to everyone in the department for all you do, including Les the cleaner and caretaker. I’m so grateful for all you do and don’t think you get the thanks you deserve.