Southport - the Classic Resort on England's North West Coast

2009

District

105BN

IT Award

●

Christmas Parcels 2009

 

For many people, 2009 has been a difficult year. The economic climate has been bad, the employment situation has been bad, and there has been a general lack of optimism for the future. Reflecting this, we have had significantly more referrals from individuals and organisations around the town, nominating those who would benefit from a little Christmas Cheer.

So, for the fourth year in a row, Southport Lions joined with Southport Rotary and the Southport Visiter in a joint programme of fundraising, packing and distributing Christmas parcels to needy and disadvantaged folk in and around Southport. Between us, we brought a bit of Christmas cheer to more than 400 recipients of all ages, from the very junior to the very senior, and from some of the letters we have received we can tell that the cheer was welcome. For many, the Christmas parcel is a visible and tangible sign that, in a harsh world, there are those who actually care enough to do something for those less fortunate. So, to everyone who contributed, through the campaign in the Visiter, or by donating to either Lions or Rotary, a big Thank You!

Where to go from here

Nominations for suitable recipients are received through a number of channels but the end result is the same: depending on individual circumstances, we deliver a Christmas Hamper, Christmas Toys or both.

But, of course, Christmas Hampers need packing, and each year numbers of Lions turn out on a Sunday morning in mid December to assemble all the goodies. After years of practice we now have it all off to a fine art - Henry Ford would have been proud of us!

And here we are, job almost done, counting the stack of hampers which have been prepared. All that’s left, now, is to arrange the delivery, and to have a nice warming cup of coffee! It gets really cold in there!