Peterborough Women's Aid given festive boost by city healthcare provider

A Peterborough charity has been given a festive boost after a city healthcare provider donated scores of gifts over Christmas.

Employees of healthcare provider HUC, a community benefit society, have demonstrated Christmas spirit by setting up a gifting tree in each of the organisation’s NHS 111 call centres.

Colleagues across the East and South West of England came together to donate more than 140 gifts to individuals facing a far-from-fairytale festive period, following the initiative planned by Peterborough Administrator Jess Bell.

Public-spirited Jess asked a number of local refuges and veterans’ charities across the regions HUC serves for a Christmas wish list for their service users – including Peterborough Women’s Aid. She then attached tags detailing the gift chosen to Christmas trees across the HUC sites and asked kind-hearted colleagues to select a tag and donate the relevant gift.

This led to HUC colleagues buying a total of 141 presents, which were handed over to the various charities during the course of last week just in time for Christmas.

Jess said: “I couldn’t be prouder of everyone’s efforts. While Christmas is a wonderful time for the majority of us, I’d like to think that the generosity of staff across HUC will bring at least a little joy to some of those for who the festive period may be rather more difficult.

“The response to our appeal was overwhelming and, having established relationships with so many wonderful charities, I’d like to think there will be a lasting legacy and we can support their work again in the future.”

The gifts were received with immense appreciation, and the charities expressed their gratitude in the following words:

Amanda Geraghty from Peterborough Women’s Aid said, “We were delighted to receive personalised gifts from HUC this year for the families in our refuge. Christmas can be a challenging time for mothers and children, but to know that people are thinking of them gives our families a real boost. Many families come into the refuge with nothing, so these thoughtful gifts have really made their Christmas!”