***A huge thank you to all of the individuals. groups, churches and business that have supported us so wonderfully this year. Our appeal is now closed and close to 100 families supported through your generosity.***
Christmas is coming – be a STAR!
We are excited to launch our Christmas Appeal 2021 to support families in our community. In partnership with Family Support Work (FSW), we are seeking to bless families with the resources for them to create memorable family moments together.
This year we are doing things a little differently as we refocus our support to those in our town.
The history of donating gifts and toys has been tremendous, and has shown the great generosity from the corps and the wider community. In recent years we have also provided food for families each Christmas.
As we constantly review the needs of the community, our response to those needs change and adapt.
As we have prepared for this year’s appeal, there has been a recognition that other charities, CIC’s and organisations in the town collect and distribute toys. In regard to food, Bognor Foodbank do an amazing job of providing bumper Christmas food parcels.
As we develop our family ministry as a corps, we realise more and more that families will strive to make provision for the essentials, but there can be a struggle to provide added treats. In addition, we increasingly wish to promote to power of ‘family’, and the importance of family time together.
For these reasons, our focus this year has changed. Instead of toys (although we will still accept them) our main invitation for support from the community is through the donation of vouchers, gift cards and family activities to enjoy days out, nights in and shopping experiences.
Days Out
Can you think of places where a family can get to and experience fun together? We offer suggestions such as vouchers for swimming, The Picturedome, Mini Golf, Soft Play, local cafes. These vouchers/gift cards will bring a family out of their home and enjoy their time together.
Nights In
Even when families are at home, they are not necessarily ‘together’. By providing vouchers/codes for streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus they can watch a movie or journey through a box-set together. By providing family activities such as cake mixes, board games etc, then the family can have a share experience of fun without leaving the front door!
Shopping!
So often we can fall into the danger of thinking that we know what people want. However, there is something powerful and liberating for a family to go shopping together and choose what they want to buy. Vouchers for high street shops, sports shops, toy shops etc, are what we are looking for. One such voucher – ‘Love to Shop’ can be use in lots of different places.
Donations of gifts and finances can be brought to
• The Salvation Army Church (Canada Grove)
• The Salvation Army Charity Shop (Queensway)
• St Wilfrid Church (Victoria Drive – Tues AM)
• The Beehive (William St – Fri AM)
There is also a Just Giving Page:
https://www.justgiving.com/.../tsa-community-support-000421
Please join with us to think how you can support and help publicise our appeal this year.
God bless
