Care leavers will be having a Christmas to remember this year thanks to the generosity of the people of Wolverhampton.
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Reach Leaving Care Team would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated to this year’s Care Leavers Christmas appeal via their Amazon Wish list and drop-off donation point.
In an amazing show of Christmas spirit, council staff, partner agencies and local residents helped to provide nearly 650 presents to care Leavers and their children this festive season.
Various organisations also donated gifts, including over 200 advent calendars from Asda and Tesco, more than £800 worth of presents from Reconomy and a donation of £1,900 worth of presents from The Black Country NHS Foundation Trust. The gifts have been distributed to the young people. Meanwhile, the Christmas celebrations continued with the Reach Team Christmas Party, hosted at The Oasis Hub, attended by around 30 young people who were treated to a Christmas buffet, party games and festive songs galore.
Councillor Beverley Momenabadi, the council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Every year we work with partners to provide, as their Corporate Parent, our care leavers with something special at Christmas.
“We wanted to make this year extra special, and we have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by individuals and organisations in Wolverhampton which will make it a Christmas to remember for our care leavers. I’d like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you who backed our appeal.”
Wolverhampton's Local Offer for care leavers aged between 16 and 25 provides information about a wide range of services which could help young care leavers prepare for adult life. It includes details of support which they are entitled to by law, as well as additional services that the council has been able to secure with the help of partner organisations.
