Welcome to our 2024 Christmas countdown calendar of kindness, warmth, wellness and community spirit! Each day until Christmas we will be sharing info on how to help one another stay safe and well.
Today is all about celebrating the generosity that has been shown towards Warwickshire's cared for young people this festive season.
Continuing the tradition of child-friendly generosity
For several years, Warwickshire County Council’s Children and Families Service has worked with various organisations, charities and individuals including County Counci employees to support families and provide Christmas presents for their children.
Donated gifts have ensured that Warwickshire’s care-experienced young people, as well as other vulnerable children and young people across the county, have something to unwrap.
The tradition continues in 2024 and the contributions from the council, friends of Child-Friendly Warwickshire, local organisations and individuals have meant that hundreds of Warwickshire families will benefit.
This year the Child Friendly Warwickshire Bear even got involved, see their reaction to everyone’s generosity here.
More than 250 gifts were donated in the 2024 appeal and special thanks go to the following contributors:
- Pertemps Recruitment Agency, Procure 4, McDonalds Warwick and Lions Club – for donations towards pantomime tickets for Children in Care and their families.
- Norma Wilson – for incredible dedication to supporting care leavers and asylum seekers across Warwickshire with Christmas Hampers.
- Puddle Ducks Nursey – for donations of new toys, in place of their workplace secret Santa and goods for Norma’s hampers
- Lush Coventry – for donations of Lush products for Care Leavers.
- Customers at Morrisons Warwick – for public donations filling 20 boxes of items for children.
- Widget, a Leamington-based software company - for their hugely generous donation of toys for vulnerable children across the county.
- Warwickshire County Council staff – for completing a sponsored walk in Wales to raise money towards care experienced young people.
- Warwickshire County Council’s Market Hall Museum staff - for collecting Christmas gifts for Warwickshire Children’s Services.
- Warwick Museum, Eliot Park Innovation Centre & Kings House – for hosting drop of points and collecting a huge amount of Christmas gifts.
- Tesco Warwick – for colleague and customer donations towards the Christmas appeal.
- Biffa Warwick depot and Stratford Upon Avon RFC – for the generosity of the staff and club members
- Cadantis and Acorn’s Children’s Clubs - for their donations to the Warwickshire Family Information Service, enriching the lives of children beyond our immediate network of friends.
The donations will mean a lot to children, young people, and their families, and the thoughtfulness of the people of Warwickshire truly makes a difference.
To get involved with helping young people in your community, visit childfriendlywarwickshire.co.uk/involved .
Love from Norma and people who care
A Warwickshire Christmas hamper initiative continues to bring comfort and joy to care leavers and asylum seekers across Warwickshire, offering vital support to young people facing the challenges of living independently.
Former foster carer Norma Wilson, with support from Warwickshire County Council’s Children and Families service, local charity Evelyn’s Gift and other community and voluntary groups, has prepared over 230 hampers, each one a heartfelt gesture of kindness and care.
Norma started preparing hampers over 25 years ago within the Warwickshire County Council’s Rugby Children’s Team and the project has grown to become a much-cherished tradition of giving. Each hamper includes essentials such as socks, gloves, food, and toothbrushes, as well as festive treats and a handwritten card signed “Love from Norma and people who care.”
Norma draws on her years of experience as a foster carer for Warwickshire County Council, during which she cared for over 140 children. She understands the challenges faced by young people who are learning to live independently, and her hampers are a vital reminder that they are not alone.
Helen Smith, founder of Evelyn’s Gift, has been a key partner in supporting the initiative. The charity, set up in memory of Helen’s daughter Evelyn, rallies donations from businesses and individuals across Warwickshire, helping to ensure that each hamper is brimming with thoughtfulness.
Norma hopes her story will inspire others to give what they can. She said: “The more people we can help, the better. Whether it’s donating money, organising workplace collections, or volunteering time, every contribution makes a difference. Christmas is a time for giving, and even the smallest gesture can mean the world to someone in need.”
Norma’s act of kindness is one example of the many things people can do to support themselves and each other at this time. For more information on care leavers, visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/leavingcare
For more information on young asylum seekers, visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/children-families/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-warwickshire/1
If you would like to find out more about fostering for Warwickshire, visit https://fostering.warwickshire.gov.uk/
Here’s to a kind and thoughtful 2025.
We’ll see you tomorrow for day 20 of our Christmas countdown calendar!
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