Local charities providing extra support over Christmas
Bags of winter essentials for young residents in need
Almost 100 bags of winter essentials to young residents in need in Hammersmith and Fulham this Christmas.
The bags were made possible through the work of local charities Let Me Play and The Felix Project. They were designed for a variety of ages and have been donated to children in H&F care, young care leavers and young people at risk of homelessness with the help of funding from the council.
Each gift bag of essentials includes recipe cards to make two meals, equalling eight portions of food, cupboard supplies and Christmas treats including mince pies and biscuits.
An educational activity pack is also included with equipment and instructions for a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based arts and crafts project. These were dependent on age, with the older young people receiving a STEM pack from Imperial College.
The bags are being distributed across the borough to young residents who utilise H&F supported, local charity, Centrepoint’s services. The Hammersmith-based organisation provides semi-independent living accommodation to H&F’s young residents in need.
Throughout the borough Centrepoint has 97 units that deliver 13 services from high, medium, to low support for different groups of young people, depending on their needs.
This support includes assistance with bills and budgeting, cooking and meal planning. It also includes health and wellbeing care, and support with further education and employment opportunities. Centrepoint aims to set residents up for independent living and the skills to hold their own tenancy.
The winter essentials bags being delivered
“Christmas is a time when nobody – especially children and young people – should have to face food and economic pressures” says Cllr Sue Fennimore, Deputy Leader of H&F Council.
“These bags not only provide essential items to support people through another Covid winter, they also provide a little festive fun. We’re a compassionate council and want to support families through the pressures of winter.”
The bags of essentials weren’t the only surprise for Centrepoint’s residents this Christmas. The Weltje Road unit’s staff cooked up a festive feast on Christmas Day for their residents and any other service users who wanted to join.
The meal was a fun change to the traditional Christmas dinner, with the young residents being offered rice and peas, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, mixed vegetables, plantain, turkey, salmon and, of course, gravy.
Desert was also served - chocolate cake with vanilla ice-cream - and all attendees were treated to unlimited refills of guava, pineapple, and mango juice.
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Jacob Phillips - Local Democracy Reporter
December 29, 2021
