Hundreds of people from vulnerable communities in Lincolnshire and the surrounding area
have felt the magic of Christmas this year, with thanks to Lincolnshire Co-op’s Secret Santa
scheme.
This campaign aimed to inspire the gift of giving and lift community spirit over Christmas by
helping those struggling to provide for themselves and their families through 72 different
charities.
The co-operative had three means of donating, by bringing a food bank item into a food
store, a toiletry and sanitary item into a pharmacy or a toy into a travel branch.
Each food store, pharmacy and travel branch had a donation drop-off point, linked to a local
charity to collect.
Inside Lincolnshire Co-op’s 13 travel branches, Christmas trees were decorated with gift
tags including details like a child’s age and gender for someone to buy for.
The society held a variety of donation drives to further raise funds including a food bank
drive at Lincoln City Football Club, and a food, hygiene and toy drive at the Annual Members
Meeting at The Lincolnshire Showground.
60 colleagues across the co-operative also dedicated countless volunteering hours to wrap
gifts donated to Travel’s Toy Bank, such as in Market Rasen where presents were wrapped
for over 100 children.
The last donations are still coming in for food banks and toiletry and sanitary banks and it’s
believed to be an incredibly successful appeal, with thousands of items already donated.
3,345 presents have already been gifted to 14 toy banks.
For the second year running, Coningsby Food Store also donated over 100 toys to
Barnardos.
Emma Relton, Coningsby Food Store Manager, realised there was an opportunity to support
those in need at Christmas and suggested they could all donate a gift.
The team also support Coningsby and Tattershall Lions with their toy drive by wrapping
donations, ready for countless vulnerable children and young adults to wake up to on
Christmas morning.
Emma said: “The generous response from my team has been so overwhelming and it brings
me a huge sense of pride that everyone’s so committed to supporting their community; they
all make me smile every day.
“There’s no better time to spread joy than during the festive season, and I hope we have
inspired others to spread the magic of Christmas.”
Communities in Lincolnshire and surrounding areas have been helping to spread the magic
of Christmas by making incredibly generous donations.
Simon Clarke from Watermill Leisure Park in Market Rasen contacted Lincolnshire Co-op’s
community team about how the business makes one large donation a year, and asked to
make a monetary contribution to the Secret Santa campaign. During Lincolnshire Co-op’s
Caistor Food Store’s food bank drive, they donated £1,000 and then a further £1,000.
Haven Domestic Abuse Service, one of the hygiene and toiletry banks supported by
Lincolnshire Co-op’s pharmacies in Swineshead, Kirton and Donington, welcomed 71 adults
and 106 children into its refuge in just one year.
Haven offers support and free housing to victims of domestic abuse, including toiletry
hampers to help victims feel safe and secure upon arrival.
Chloe Waters, Funding and Communications Manager at Haven Domestic Abuse Service,
said: “On behalf of everyone at Haven, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to those who
have donated towards the Secret Santa campaign in Lincolnshire Co-op pharmacies.
“Every donation will make a huge difference over Christmas to the families we are
supporting, especially when providing them with toiletry hampers upon arrival to our refuge.”
Grantham Food Bank linked with Lincolnshire Co-op’s Grantham food stores, Springfield
Road and Barrowby, provides supplies for people in need and saw a 12% increase in the
meals they provided from 2023 to 2024.
Dorothy Gaughan, Co-ordinator at Grantham Foodbank, said: “Many of our clients struggle
to put food on the table in normal times and they feel even more pressure at Christmas, as
well as buying presents and treats.
“Every donation made is gratefully received and, thanks to Lincolnshire Co-op, we can
further support people in crisis.”
Bridge Church in Lincoln, supported by Lincolnshire Co-op’s Lincoln travel branches on
Tritton Road and at the Carlton Centre, have hosted their Christmas Sack Project since 2007
which supports local vulnerable families by providing toys and gifts.
Emma Kinsey, Community Aid Project Lead at Bridge Church in Lincoln, said: “The support
and encouragement from Lincolnshire Co-op has been a huge blessing to us. Our Christmas
Sacks project gets bigger year by year, and it’s incredible to see the city of Lincoln come
together at its most vulnerable time.
“Thanks to the colleagues and customers of Lincolnshire Co-op Travel, every gift will support
and bring joy to so many families, and there will be some very happy children waking up on
Christmas morning with huge smiles and beautiful gifts.”
Sam Turner, Community Manager at Lincolnshire Co-op, said: “It has been wonderful yet
emotional to see the generous response from our communities, and how everyone can
come together to help those in need provide for their families over Christmas.
“Thank you to everyone who has made a donation, to our colleagues and volunteers for
using their own time to help wrap presents, and to our outlets for providing drop-off points.”
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