You may remember that we tried something a little different when it came to our Christmas activity in 2020. Rather than sending our clients gifts, we decided to make donations to foodbanks located close to their headquarters. From Manchester to London (and even South Korea), we supported The Trussel Trust, the St Vincent de Paul Society, and the Beautiful Foundation. With 14 million people in the UK living below the poverty line, we were keen to join the ‘movement for change’ to help end hunger.
To spread the Christmas cheer again this year, we are taking a similar approach and have chosen to donate to charities that help vulnerable individuals and families in Skout’s hometown of Macclesfield. The pandemic has increased the amount of people needing extra support and it’s important for any business to give back to its community – and we want to help where we can.
Each charity was selected because they provide essential items and/or funding to different community groups. While the majority of the donations will support people experiencing financial hardship, we are also providing a contribution to The Christie Hospital as the cancer charity has recently opened a new centre right here in Macclesfield.
Silklife Foodbank
We started of our Christmas campaign by visiting the Silklife Foodbank to drop off 100 selection boxes (surprisingly, we even managed to fit them all in one car). This incredible charity is run and supported by Silklife Church in the heart of Macclesfield and provides non-perishable food parcels to those in the neighbourhood who have fallen on hard times.
The foodbank is stocked all year round with regular food and financial donations from church members and people in the local community. The hard work of all its volunteers means that they can reach the most vulnerable and needy people and families in the area who would otherwise go hungry.
Donating hats, scarves and gloves for the elderly
No matter your age, it can be hard staying healthy during the winter months as the drop in temperature can affect the body’s ability to fight viruses and infections. To help keep the elderly warm, we donated hats, gloves, and thermal socks to support the Salvation Army’s winter appeal. These cosy items will make a difference to Macclesfield’s older and more vulnerable residents this Christmas.
Cheshire’s Silk FM Toy Appeal
Up next is the Cheshire Silk FM Toy Appeal. For the last few years Cheshire’s Silk FM have strived to put a smile on the face of children in the county by running toy appeals for those who may not receive a present at Christmas. In response to its request for new and unwrapped toys, we donated £100 worth of gifts (and we’re not ashamed to say, we had a lot of fun buying them). Toys included action figures, board games, Lego – and even a stuffed monkey.
The Christie
The Christie charity opened a new cancer treatment centre in Macclesfield this month to enable patients to receive outstanding care, closer to home. To support the charity’s incredible work, we donated £500 to ‘The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021’ – an initiative that matches all contributions and increased the total of our donation to £1000!
The Christie charity provides enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that is provided to their patients and their families.
We hope that the donations provided by Skout will make a difference to someone’s Christmas this year and would like to thank all the volunteers from each charity for their ongoing support to our local community.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
