Guild Care shows that Worthing cares this Christmas

After another difficult year, our charity thought it was imperative to spread the Christmas cheer to members of the Worthing community.
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So, this Christmas our charity repeated its Worthing Cares campaign. However, this time around we increased our scope even further, making sure that all our community service users received a special festive box.

If you don’t remember, last Christmas, with support from the community and an army of our amazing volunteers, we delivered just under 100 Christmas hampers to our elderly and vulnerable service users.

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One recipient, Julie Moon, said: “Without Guild Care, Christmas Day for me this year would be just like any other day, nothing really to look forward to and no one to speak to – just the television for company.

Patrick, a Creating Connections member, with his Worthing Cares boxPatrick, a Creating Connections member, with his Worthing Cares box
Patrick, a Creating Connections member, with his Worthing Cares box

“I know it’s silly but now I know that on Christmas Day this year Guild Care has arranged for someone to visit me to drop off a little gift – well it’s just given me hope. It’s a beacon of light in what has been a really dark time.”

Following last year’s response, we wanted to do something even bigger. So, this time around, all our community service users have received a special Christmas box, increasing the number of boxes filled, wrapped, and delivered to 720. The boxes for adults contained hats, gloves, diaries, mince pies and many more items, all wrapped and packed with tissue paper and love. Boxes for children contained toys, which were kindly donated by More Radio and their listeners.

This year’s Worthing Cares campaign was organised by Mark Phillips, our volunteer coordinator, and Nicki Freeman, our head of community services.

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Mark said: “In many people’s view, packing and wrapping over 700 Christmas boxes would be a task they really would not want, but when you know that on Christmas Day elderly and vulnerable people living on their own will be opening one of those boxes full of brightly wrapped gifts with a smile on their face it changes everything.

Alex Mason, fundraising co-ordinator Guild CareAlex Mason, fundraising co-ordinator Guild Care
Alex Mason, fundraising co-ordinator Guild Care

“Worthing Cares couldn’t have been achieved had it not been for the amazing volunteers who gave their time to help pack and wrap so many Christmas boxes. In a place we called Christmas Central, 40 volunteers came forward to make Christmas special for those most in need across Worthing. Existing Guild Care volunteers, Adur and Worthing Council staff volunteers and volunteers all the way from Brighton came together, had lots of fun and made new friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and time you gave – Worthing really does care!”

Nicki added: “Guild Care are proud to have ensured that those most at need at this time of year have benefitted from a little extra Christmas cheer, thanks to an army of kind volunteers who have either carefully wrapped each box with love and attention or that are helping us to deliver the surprise Christmas parcels to doorsteps within the coming days. We would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers involved in such a heartfelt project, long may it continue!”

Thank you to everyone who has supported our charity this year, whether that be through volunteering, donating, taking part in our first fire walk, skydiving, buying lottery and raffle tickets, or bidding on items in our Christmas auction. Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to provide our invaluable community services for the people of Worthing. Thank you.

If you’d like to support our charity, please consider donating. You can do so by visiting www.guildcare.org/donate.

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