Bridgend NPT Shoebox Appeal Overwhelmed With Donations

Generous businesses have teamed up with a Bridgend Neighbourhood Policing Team to spread Christmas cheer to looked-after children and those in hospital during the festive period. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers appealed to local shops to donate items to their shoebox appeal, and were overwhelmed with gifts from Sainsbury’s, Wilkinsons, Tesco, Spar, B and M, Boots and Clarkes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A total of 28 boxes were crammed full of sweets, chocolate, toys, arts and crafts and toiletries, and carefully wrapped and labelled by officers who then delivered them to the children’s ward at the Princess of Wales Hospital and a local residential home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

And thanks to the generosity of the businesses involved – as well as individual employees who donated additional items out of their own pockets – officers were also able to wrap a number of gifts separately for hospital staff to give out to children who might be admitted over Christmas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PCSO Katie Andrews, who is part of the team which organised the collection, said: “There were 11 children in the children’s ward ranging in age from one to 15. They had various illnesses and some of them are likely to be in hospital at Christmas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We delivered 21 shoeboxes and a sack-full of individual gifts to the ward and every box also had a card from Bridgend NPT. Everyone was extremely grateful and it was lovely to see everyone was smiling. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We also visited six children at a local care home and they too were really grateful to receive their gifts. The team placed a Christmas card in each box with a small message of encouragement as we understand they are faced with obstacles and struggles that many of us could not even comprehend as adults. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a team, we wanted to remind them that while we all have a job to do, we do genuinely care about their welfare and hope they smile on Christmas day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We really enjoyed meeting and engaging with all the youngsters and their families, and it was great to see everyone happy and smiling regardless of their circumstances. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We would like to thank everyone who donated and helped us spread some Christmas cheer – we couldn’t have done it without them.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​