Gresham Gift Campaign Goes Online for 2020!

For a number of years now, the Gresham team have worked with the local Barnardo’s Children Centres in Wythenshawe, collecting funds to purchase gifts and food for families that would otherwise be left without at Christmas.

As with most things in 2020, we have had to do things a little bit differently this year. Despite the challenges posed by November’s lockdown, our team were more determined than ever to bring some joy and cheer to families in need.

Firstly, we started collecting donations far earlier than usual, encouraging staff to dig a bit deeper with the money saved from their daily commutes. With our coffers collected (via bank transfer!), our super-efficient elves set about the task of dividing and conquering the shops for different categories of gifts – all the while making the most of the various offers available to extend the budget as far as possible. As a result, we were able to buy gifts for 24 children – whose ages were provided by the charity so we could buy appropriate gifts – and mums from 11 families.

Due to the situation this year, we also decided to spend more of our budget on food – with a total of £500 being spent on donations for a local food bank. In addition to monetary contributions from the Gresham team and Directors, we also had two bikes and a large collection of hardly worn clothes / pre-loved toys donated by team members.

By pooling our efforts and using online shopping where possible, we were able to get everything in plenty of time to be wrapped up waiting for the Christmas elves at the Barnardo’s Children Centres in Wythenshawe to collect and deliver them in time for the big day.

Morven Millar, Director, said:

“2020 has been unimaginably difficult for some sections of society and although we’ve all faced our own difficulties, this year more than ever, it’s important to remember those that are less fortunate than ourselves.

“This is now the 7^th year that we have supported our local Barnardo’s Children Centres and despite the pandemic, we have been able to help more families than in any other year. I am very proud of the team and their efforts in helping to bring some much-needed brightness and festive cheer to those in need.”

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