Christmas Family Appeal Update
Workplace Health
From 2023, St Vincent de Paul (SVP) and The Salvation Army will be managing their own appeal as the joint Family Appeal has come to an end in its current format.
Since 2019 Education Authority staff in schools and services have generously given their time and money to support the Christmas Family Appeal, endorsing the ongoing work of St Vincent de Paul and The Salvation Army. As an organisation we have raised over £46,500 and donated over 2,300 gifts to children, young people and their families over the past four years.
Aoifé O’Neill, Health and Wellbeing Project Manager and Christmas Family Appeal Co-Ordinator has acknowledged the co-operation of all EA Staff during this time:
“Without the support of EA Staff in schools and services many children and young people may have woken up on Christmas morning without a gift under the tree. We, as a devoted workforce, ensured that we did our upmost to not allow this to happen. Staff support came from all areas, in many varying forms and without question made a huge positive difference. We should be very proud of all our contributions.”
The SVP Annual Appeal will focus on online and voucher donations which will be distributed directly to families across Northern Ireland by SVP members so that parents and carers can ensure the gift the child has asked for will be under the tree on Christmas morning.
Mary Waide, SVP Regional President for the North Region, said:
“From a St Vincent de Paul perspective we are delivering a holistic, person-centred approach to each family by providing them with vouchers that will promote dignity and choice. Parents will then be in a position to choose the most appropriate gift or toy for their children. By providing additional support in the form of vouchers, we will be able, following a home visit, to assess their need and provide assistance with food and heat. We are confident that this will ensure that no family wakens up to a cold or empty Christmas.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all EA staff most sincerely for the support over the years. The commitment, enthusiasm and contribution has made a genuine difference to the lives of many local families, and it has been greatly appreciated”.
The Salvation Army will continue its hugely successful Family Appeal, which has brought festive joy to thousands of children across Northern Ireland since its inception in 1980.
Neil Webb, Divisional Leader of The Salvation Army, Ireland, said:
“We will accept donations in the form of physical presents, vouchers and online giving throughout Northern Ireland over the Christmas period. These gifts will be used to help families to experience the joy of Christmas and to assist the most vulnerable right across all of our local communities.
“We appreciate that EA staff have been a very generous supporters of the joint The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Family Appeal which has been bringing the joy of Christmas to families for decades.”
If you would like to support either St Vincent de Paul or The Salvation Army, or find out more information about their respective Christmas appeals, please contact them directly using the below emails:
Salvation Army: tanya.skillen@salvationarmy.org.uk
Information on the new EA Christmas Family Appeal launching in November 2023 will be available soon. We hope that staff will continue to generously support children, young people and families at the most special time of year.
