We're delighted to share that we had a heart-warming response to our first annual Mersey Cares Secret Santa appeal which asked people in the community to help us spread some festive joy throughout the holiday season through the donation of gifts for children and young people using our services across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Thanks to your incredible generosity we were able to support children and young people with Christmas gifts and vouchers across five areas of Mersey Care Foundation Trust including CAMHS (Knowsley), St Helen’s Looked after Children Team, the Hampton Road Health Visiting Service, Smithdown Children's Walk in Centre and the Carer Engagement Team at Hollins Park.
Gifts donated by the local community
More than 200 gifts were donated by people in the community including colouring books, sticker books, selection boxes, puzzles and slime, as well toys for imaginary play, toys to inspire creativity, toys for babies, and a variety of vouchers including Costa and Amazon gift cards.
Gifts were purchased by donors via our dedicated Mersey Cares Amazon Wish List created by our service teams with items they knew would bring a smile to the faces of the children they support. They were delivered to our Mersey Cares charity HQ at Hollins Park, Warrington, before we sent them off (via sleigh, of course) to the children who deserve them so much.
Tesco in Winwick, Warrington, and Tesco in Aigburth, Liverpool, also donated three bags of toys along with a bunch of selection boxes, which we were incredibly touched by. We were also lucky enough to be gifted a stadium tour of Goodison Park, courtesy of Everton Football Club.
As well as gifts for children and young people, our appeal raised £175 in monetary donations, which will enable us to buy even more Christmas gifts.
Which services did you help?
Thanks to those who were a Mersey Cares Secret Santa, CAMHS (Knowsley) – which supports children and young people presenting challenging mental health problems – were able to share 44 gifts with children using its service, including LEGO, art pens, Cadbury selection boxes, puzzles and gift cards.
Chantelle Willis, a CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner who works at Knowsley, chose two gifts to give away, including a Minecraft Lego set and a Good Vibes colouring book, sharing that the donations will help the young people she cares for feel supported and cared for. “I know exactly who I will give this gift to as it will help her feel cared about,” she told us, holding one of the donated gifts.
Clinical Lead, Pretty Ndhlovu chose a colouring mindfulness book for her patient, which she said might encourage her to enjoy art again. She said:
"This colouring mindfulness book Christmas present will help her to use art again. She used to do a lot of art before, and this will, I think, help her manage her distressing thoughts, be a distraction and the messages inside are comforting”
The St Helen’s Children in Care team (who provide health and wellbeing support to children who have been in the care of their local authority, up until the age of 19) were able to share 45 gifts with children including worry monster dolls, Nando's gift cards, and colouring books. The team were bowled over by the community's generosity and shared with us a few comments from the children who received gifts and donations.
“The St Helen’s Children in Care team would like to say a big thanks for all the wonderful gifts donated for Children in Care this Christmas time.”
Some heart-warming feedback
One recipient who received a Nando’s voucher said:
“This is so kind. I have never been to Nando’s, but now I can take my little brother at my next contact when I see him,” whilst another was planning to use their Amazon voucher to buy some Christmas decorations to hang in their supported living accommodation.
Other comments shared by children and young people included:
“I love chocolate. I plan to share this with my friends in my residential children’s home”
“This worry monster will help me when I miss my Mum”
“I plan to hide this chocolate in my bedroom so I don’t have to share, haha!”
Your kind donations also meant we were able to share 84 selection boxes and a Tesco hamper, as well as a stadium tour of Goodison Park with our Carer Engagement Team.
In addition, 44 gifts were delivered to Smithdown Children's Walk in Centre, including sensory toys, baby playmats and other requested items, and a further 12 to children using Hampton Road Health Visiting Service.
Joanne Watson, Senior Fundraising Charity Manager at Mersey Cares Charity said:
“It’s been incredible to see how many people in our local communities have supported our Secret Santa campaign and helped sprinkle some festive magic for children and young adults using our services this year. It’s been truly heart-warming to see the gifts arrive which we were able to deliver around the Trust and bring a smile to children who may otherwise have missed out this Christmastime. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every gift donated, no matter the cost. You’ve helped us to deliver our Christmas mission to make a child smile.”
Thank you so much to everyone who got involved and donated a gift, it really has made such a difference to the lives of children in our community this Christmas.
Want to support us further?
If you'd like to know more about Mersey Cares Charity you can take a look here: Our Work
Want to help us in the future? You can register for a fundraising event, make a donation or support our latest appeals