Southmead’s Christmas Convoy!
Covid19 has made Christmas different this year. Usually, Santa visits the Greenway Centre and reads stories, we host a pantomime and Christmas songs can be heard from our café. This year, we’ve had to make different plans at Southmead Development Trust. So, we’re teaming up with Southmead Fire Station to bring a Christmas convoy to the streets of Southmead!
SDT staff and local firefighters are asking for toy donations, to be included in family care packages, which will be distributed to the local community.
On the week commencing Monday 14th December, SDT and fire station staff will be partaking in a Christmas convoy, delivering play and craft packs, as well as self-care packages to families across the local area. On Tuesday 15th December, we will be providing hot chocolate and mince pies at Southmead Adventure Playground for local children families.
We’re looking for donations of new or nearly new toys for children of a range of ages. These can be dropped into Southmead Fire Station or at The Greenway Centre up until Monday 14th December.
Our CEO, Amy Kinnear, said: “‘We usually provide a Pantomime in December for the community, attended by over 800 people of all ages. It’s a favourite in the community because it’s low cost. We make fresh popcorn and Santa pops in to say hello before the performance. It’s an amazing day. We’re really sad to have to cancel it this year.
“We know that many families and individuals will be disappointed and will be facing a difficult Christmas with pressure to buy presents and food. So, this year our staff and partner organisations will be creating self-care, play and craft packages to deliver to families and isolated people living in Southmead. We’re so pleased that our local Fire Station have offered to get involved this year, every act of kindness makes a difference to someone’s life’.
Nikolai James, Watch Manager A for Southmead Fire Station said: “It’s been a really difficult year for so many, in light of the ongoing pandemic, but despite this we are determined to do what we can to spread festive cheer and joy wherever possible.
“Each year we explore opportunities for working with our local community and getting involved with initiatives that helps improves the lives of those living and working in Southmead and the surrounding neighbourhoods. This year we’ve had to think differently to make sure we can still do this, but in a way that is Covid-19 safe.
“We are therefore delighted to be working with the Southmead Development Trust and hope that we will receive some wonderful toys that will really make a difference to a child and family this Christmas.”
As the donated toys are received, firefighters at the station will be wrapping the gifts and labelling them so that they can be suitably matched with a child and/or family to receive. The gifts will be being delivered all throughout December!