Love Christmas Campaign 2022

Another tremendous success

Many thanks to all of our parishes and schools who so generously supported the diocesan Love Christmas Campaign. It was a tremendous success again this year due to all the wonderful donations, help, support, and prayers. This  meant we could share God’s love for us with so many locally who are in real need and poverty. All parts of the diocese took part and we were able to donate 950+ gift bags supporting over 2000 individuals this Christmas.

We supported families with young children, the elderly, the lonely and isolated, young carers, children from broken homes, children in care, young people leaving the care system, and many others. So, thank you again to all those involved for all your love, kindness, and generosity for those in need.

Do contact the Caritas office if you would like any help or support with any social action project, or to share what is working in your parish or school.

Thank you so much for all the kind donations. It has such a big impact for all our families.

Thank you so much for arranging this, the gifts are amazing, and they will go to our vulnerable families.

Thank you so much for arranging this, the gifts are amazing, and they will go to our vulnerable families.

We would like to say a huge thank you to you and the children at the schools for the wonderful gifts, they are absolutely beautiful, and the children will love them. Please pass on our thanks and we are so grateful to you for thinking of us. Merry Christmas.

We are just grateful to be able to have been part of spreading the kindness of Christmas to some of our families who need it the most. Thank you for all your help to support us to be able to do this.

We would like to say a huge thank you to you and the children at St Bernadette’s for the wonderful gifts, they are absolutely beautiful, and the children will love them. Please pass on our thanks and we are so grateful to you for thinking of us.

I have received a text on my work phone last night from a family we gifted a bag to who is living in the local refuge and the child attending with us at one of our family centres, the text read:  

 Thank you very much for this gift. Thank you for helping me so much with (child’s name). I’m going through difficult times now. Thank you again for everything.’

I collected very generously packed bags from Holy Family School this morning, which have been given to the Refuge Worker today to give to some other families and individuals that are living in refuge after fleeing Domestic Violence.

Love Christmas is a national initiative, growing through a network of thousands of churches and other local organisations, connecting people of all faiths and none.

Our diocesan 2021 campaign was extremely successful. We worked closely with Age UK Northants & Beds, Level Trust Luton, The Children’s Trust Northampton, Daisy Chain Children & Family Centres, Milton Keynes, Slough Borough Council and other organisations to ensure that all the donations we received were distributed to those genuinely in need. Of course the need was far greater than we could have ever imagined. With the generous support, kindness and hard work of many of our schools and parishes, and with additional support from Morrisons and Waitrose as well as Radio Host Bernie Keith and his team and listeners at BBC Radio, we were able to collect, sort, pack, and distribute over 550 Bags of Kindness containing gifts and toys across the diocese covering over 1500 local people. These items ranged from toys, books, games, puzzles, chocolates to luxury biscuits, slippers, socks, gloves and scarves, perfumes and aftershaves, makeup and jewellery, colouring books and baby gifts. All of which were so gratefully received by the organisations involved and put smiles on lots of faces at Christmas.

This year, with the continuing cost of living crisis, and even more help being required in all areas of the diocese we are planning to support many more in-need individuals and groups including – families with children, the elderly, the lonely and isolated, young carers, children from broken homes, children in care, young people leaving the care system, children from families suffering domestic abuse etc.

We would like to invite our schools and parishes to join in this campaign of kindness and generosity by collecting donations of much needed gifts, to put smiles on the faces of young families, children and the elderly living in isolation or poverty.     

Just Three Simple Steps to Get Involved

Give

Invite your parents and parishioners to give items from a gift list, or provide their own filled bag(s) of kindness, or donate money towards the campaign.

Pack

Organise fun filled and Christmassy packing days where schools and parishioners can come and help pack gift bags. Gifts can be packed at home, in schools, or in the church.
Bags and tags will be provided.

Deliver

Let the Caritas office know when your Bags of Kindness are ready to be collected, and we will arrange for one or more of the organisations we have partnered with, to collect them and deliver them to those in most need in your local area.  

Who will receive your bags of kindness?

We have, on behalf of the diocese, reached out to various organisation across each county within the diocese. They will be providing information as to who are most in genuine need locally. This could range from toddlers and pre-school children to older school children, low-income families and pensioners who are living in poverty. These people will all greatly benefit from a bag of kindness and a little extra comfort and joy this Christmas. 

Caritas Northampton will liaise with these organisations for each parish, and they will distribute our bags of joy to the individuals and families on your behalf.

Preparing your bags of Kindness – How and What

This can be approached in one or more ways:

  • Schools and Parishioners can donate toys and gifts for the bags which can then be made up centrally by a team of volunteers.
  • Donations of gifts can be provided as prefilled bag(s) based on a list of those identified previously as in need. E.g., a female child aged 5, or an elderly man living alone, or even a bag of treats for a young family.
  • Cash donations could be sought and used to purchase items and the bags made up.
Full support IS available from the Caritas Northampton office

TO REGISTER YOUR PARISH OR SCHOOL FOR THIS WONDERFUL INITIATIVE PLEASE USE THE FORM BELOW
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US ANYTIME

Office: 01604 434362
Mobile: 07756 685220