Ladies from the Belper WI have helped Santa visit a group of Derbyshire children given a special festive week by a long-running charity.
Members have decided to throw their support behind the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre which since 1891 has been providing seaside stays at its Skegness base for the county’s children who would otherwise not get a break.
Along with its holidays provided throughout the year, centre leaders also invite back to the centre a group of children considered particularly in need during the festive season, when Christmas comes early just for them.
This year Belper WI, which has around 70 members, collected many bags filled with festive gifts, cuddly toys, clothes and other essentials to help make Christmas special for children attending the centre who often come from families where there is significant financial hardship.
The WI ladies also donated hundreds of pounds to the charity collected from proceeds from their stand at the ‘Belper goes green’ event earlier this year.
Simone Hickling, president of the Belper WI with Jan Swain, said members had been asked to vote for a charity to support and the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre had emerged as a clear favourite.
She said: “I’ve known about the holiday centre for a long time and it’s one of my favourite charities. I think it’s absolutely awful that there are children still to this day who don’t have anything other than the clothes on their back.
“If we can help that by supporting children to have some time off by going away, I’m all for helping anything like that. We’re delighted to be offering our support and we hope that the children at the centre enjoyed their Christmas treats.”
The Belper WI treats were taken to the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness by charity chairman Alan Grimadell with his wife Louise, where they were distributed to this year’s young festive guests by centre manager Ali Byerley.
Alan said: “The ladies from the Belper WI have certainly done our centre’s children proud this Christmas with their donations. Thank you so much to all of them who have given so generously to children who come to us for a festive week. All these treats went down brilliantly with children who came to our centre this year where Santa always visits Skegness early to make Christmas extra special.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
