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A Very Charitable
Christmas
VULNERABLE children and families
will benefit from hundreds of gifts donated by Liverpool City Council Staff,
this Christmas.
Workers demonstrated their commitment to fundraising with a Christmas
appeal, donating hand picked gifts to Liverpool Homeless Football Club, the
Salvation Army and young adults who are leaving the care system.
The gift appeal is the final fundraising effort of the year for staff, and
is organised by 'Charity Champion' team members who
voluntarily organise fundraising events throughout the year in addition to
their work duties.
The charities will hand out the gifts to vulnerable children and families
across the City over the Christmas period. They include household
essentials, beauty products and children's clothes and toys.
Liverpool City Council Chief Executive Ged Fitzgerald said:- "These
gifts will mean so much to those children and families who are less
fortunate, especially at Christmas, and I'm proud that once again Liverpool
City Council Staff have been so generous, going above and beyond for our
charities. They really are a credit to us."
'Charity Champion' Clare Maher, said:- "It's so rewarding to
know that on Christmas Day families across Merseyside will have extra gifts
to open and that young people setting up home for the 1st time have some
essential items thanks to the generosity of our staff. This has been our
most successful year to date and I can't wait to be involved in next year's
appeal hopefully making it bigger and better."
Michael Binns, who works with young people in care, said the gift appeal
will help a lot:- "Most care leavers move into their own accommodation
once they turn 18, and receive a 1 off allowance of £2,000 to help them buy
essentials such as furniture, but it doesn't go very far and if you have to
be rehomed for whatever reason you won't be given the same allowance again."
The gift appeal is just 1 of many fundraising efforts undertaken
by staff so far this year. They have also raised £7437.71 for their 2 corporate
charities: the Whitechapel Centre which supports the homeless and Claire House
Children's Hospice in Wirral. Of the money raised, £33103.33, will go to the
Whitechapel Centre and £4044.58 to Claire House. In an added effort, they also
raised £3108.14, for the Nepal Earthquake Appeal, in the wake of the disaster
this year.
A total of 17 'Charity Champions' have co-ordinated activities
such as a sleep out at Everton FC, bake sales, dress down days and raffles.
Other fundraising events have included a catwalk show, Mayor's Dinner charity
auction and ping pong tournament. Chief Executive, Ged Fitzgerald and his senior
management team also took part in the Santa Dash. |
