What is the Calne Community Christmas appeal?

Each year, the fantastic Community Christmas Calne appeal gathers gifts and non-perishable food items to create hampers for the local elderly community and families facing hardship. Contributions pour in from individuals, businesses, and charitable donations, uniting the community to ensure a special Christmas for all.

The holiday season can be challenging, and this Christmas 2023, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis adds an extra layer of difficulty. Household budgets are under strain due to rising expenses in food, fuel, and energy, forcing many households into the difficult choice between staying warm and putting food on the table. Sadly, some families find themselves facing the financial challenge of providing gifts for their children during these trying times.

The amazing team of volunteers at Community Christmas Calne assembles shoebox hampers filled with food and toiletries, distributing them free to the elderly. They also gather gifts and toys, which are carefully wrapped and delivered to Calne’s Children’s Centre. The centre then distributes these items to local families in need.

For several years, 1st Choice Stairlifts has been a proud supporter of Community Christmas Calne, contributing to the campaign with donations, and like last year, we’re getting stuck in and volunteering with the deliveries!

This year, we donated £400 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 again this year. It’s ok to just donate, but being able to help deliver the parcels and see the recipient’s happy faces again was really special. 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.”

2023’s Community Christmas Calne campaign was very successful and resulted in the distribution of 38 family hampers, 233 elderly hampers, and 162 children’s gifts.

If you would like to learn more about the Calne Community Christmas appeal, please check out their Facebook page here.