Preston based Cotton Court Business Centre is once again championing the cause of the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
The Cotton Court team are no strangers to working with the children’s charity. For the last 9 years they’ve run a Christmas Gift Appeal, bringing together individuals and businesses from across the county, to ensure that the young people Barnardo’s support in Lancashire have a gift to open at Christmas.
There are two ways that people can get involved this year; either donating by bringing a gift into Cotton Court Business Centre, or they can make a financial donation via a dedicated JustGiving page so that Barnardo’s Lancashire Services staff can purchase gifts for all of the young people they look after, in time for Christmas.
Lancashire businesses have already stepped up and have offered some amazing raffle prizes so that everyone that donates, either a gift or financial donation, will be entered into a raffle. Up for grabs are meal vouchers, VIP drinks packages, hotel accommodation, training courses and much more !!
There is a particular focus on gifts for older children, teenagers and young adults. Many people think that Barnardo’s supports just very young children, but this isn’t the case. The service supports people into their teenage years and young adulthood, and it’s often the upper age category that struggles for gift donations.
As it can be difficult to choose suitable gifts for the older age category, this year the business centre has compiled a list of recommended items to assist kind supporters of the appeal if they so wish. That can be viewed here: https://cottoncourt.co.uk/suggested-gifts-for-teenagers-and-young-adults-2/
You can help the appeal achieve its target by donating an unwrapped gift for a child, teenager or young adult, with donations being received at Cotton Court Business Centre reception between 08.00 and 17.00 Mon to Fri or donations via a JustGiving page which can be viewed here:https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cotton-court-barnardos-2021
The funds raised via this page will be used to buy gifts or gift vouchers for the appeal.
Debbie Nolan-Plunkett, Assistant Director at Barnardo’s said
“The difference donations make is difficult to measure in the amazing transformation it can bring to families and to young people living on their own. We are seeing more and more families struggling and unable to afford the Christmas they want for their children and being able to help them out and make their Christmas magical is an amazing experience.
Our young people living in supported accommodation often have no one to turn to at Christmas other than our teams and being able to ensure that all of them have something to open on Christmas day makes a huge difference to their belief that somebody actually cares for them enough to donate a present”
Each year the generosity of the community has been overwhelming, and the aim is for 2021 to be even bigger and better! More information is available on the Cotton Court website: https://cottoncourt.co.uk/2021-christmas-gift-appeal-in-aid-of-barnardos/
