Each year, like most branches throughout the UK, Trowbridge Lions have supported the local community for many years at Christmas. However, due to the continuing Covid pandemic, they have been unable to hold any charity events across the majority of 2021, resulting in a huge drop in funds which might go toward making up food hampers.
Trowbridge-based company Insit Moulded Packaging offered their support to the Lions to make sure that this vitally important cause went ahead and that some of the less fortunate children of Trowbridge could still look forward to a Christmas they deserve. IMP’s also hoped to inspire other local businesses to donate food items to the Lions’ ‘Children’s Christmas Meal Appeal’, helping to give those families facing real hardships a sense of normality and hope at this festive season.
After weeks of gathering donations, Friday December 3rd was the big ‘boxing day’! Members of the Lions and IMP staff welcomed the Mayor of Trowbridge, Councillor Denise Bates, who lent a hand filling the festive hampers with all kinds of treats and food items to be given to those most in need of a little extra help this time of year. IMP were honoured to have Councillor Bates take time out from her busy schedule to get involved: Councillor Bates also give a wonderfully warm speech, in which she praised everyone present for having shown the true meaning of Christmas – a time for giving, thinking of others less fortunate and bringing happiness to others.
A total of 52 hampers were boxed up, which will be going to out to local families in the next couple of weeks. Many schools and local organisations got involved in helping IMP, but those deserving a special mention are:
Staverton Cof E Primary School, pupils at which held a non-school uniform in exchange for food items
North Bradley Primary School, having formed a school council of pupils, in their very first meeting decided they wanted to help the cause
John of Gaunt School, whose Year 8 tutor groups generously brought in food items to donate
Longscroft Nursery School’s pre-schoolers and staff, who kindly brought in contributions for the hampers
Tesco Extra in Trowbridge donated some delicious desserts to be included in each Christmas box
Darren Wing of Wings Direct donated a van and his time, free of charge, to help collect donations
New Resource Recruitment, whose staff generously donated food items
Georgie Parrish, owner of Glambar in Trowbridge, who along with her clients dropped off food items to the salon in support of the cause.
IMP and Trowbridge Lions also offered a huge thank you to all those involved wishing to be anonymous, for their contributions to the cause which once again proved to be a huge seasonal success.
