Every year the wonderful Community Christmas Calne appeal collects gifts and non-perishable food items, to make hampers for the local elderly community and families in need. Donations come from individuals, businesses, and charitable donations to help make Christmas special across the community.
Christmas can be a tough time, but Christmas 2022 was made more difficult by the cost of living crisis. Household budgets were stretched to accommodate increases in food, fuel, and energy costs, which left many households sadly having to choose between heating and eating. It also meant that some families were struggling to give their children gifts and put food on the table.
The wonderful bunch of helpers at Community Christmas Calne make up shoebox hampers containing food and toiletries and distribute them free to the elderly. They also collect gifts and toys which are wrapped and dropped off at Calne’s Children’s Centre to be distributed by the centre to local families.
1st Choice Stairlifts have supported Community Christmas Calne and contributed towards the campaign with donations for several years, but this year saw us also getting stuck in and volunteering with the deliveries too!
Because of the cost of living crisis this year, we increased our donation to £500 worth of food. Our Director Colin also helped collect a van full of hampers and parcels to take to the centre in Calne and together with Karen and her family, who run the campaign, he helped distribute them.
Colin said, “I loved getting involved with the volunteering this year too. It’s ok to just donate, but being able to help deliver the parcels and see the recipient’s happy faces was just magical. The Community Christmas Calne team; Karen, her family, and other volunteers work tirelessly for months on this project collecting donations that make an incredible difference to the community. They are the shining stars of our community making this happen every year.”
2022’s Community Christmas Calne campaign was very successful and resulted in the distribution of 34 Family hampers, 206 elderly hampers, and over 70 children’s gifts.
