Colin Grainger

Support a vital appeal at the heart of the community in East London

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Tomorrow sees the launch of a special community appeal that has been part of my life for the last 40 years.

I appeal to you today to support the campaign that is right at the heart of life in East London. Help change the lives of young people who are at risk through no fault of their own.

It was almost 40 years ago that I first helped launch the Community Links and Newham Recorder Christmas Toy Appeal. We have helped thousands of children over those years and if you find it hard to understand how that appeal can still be as relevant today as it was back then, here are just three of the reasons.

Case study one: Elizabeth and Edward were doing well.  Both were working hard, they were buying their own home, were able to go abroad twice each year for a holiday and give their 4 children all what they wanted and needed via credit cards.  Two years ago Edward died suddenly with inadequate insurance and the debts soon took their toll on Elizabeth.  Unable to cope with the pressures she experienced a mental breakdown and the children were taken into care.  Over the past 12 months, with support, she has been able to overcome her difficulties and start to rebuild her life.  She now has the children back and she is determined to give them all the love she can and they so badly need. Christmas Outlook – NO TOYS OR OTHER SEASONALTREATS

Case study two: George is 67 and looking after his 5 grandchildren.  Their father (George’s son) and mother are both heroine addicts and currently midway through their third rehab programme.  The children – boys 11, ten, eight, seven and a girl of four are very active.  Two have ADHS syndrome and they are all experiencing development delay.  The house is too small and in a very poor decorative state.  Grandfather tries very hard but the children live well below the poverty line and have very few toys and books.  Grandfather is determined to do the best he can in the difficult circumstances. Christmas Outlook – NO TOYS OR OTHER SEASONAL TREATS

And finally: Case study three: Lucy is just 22 and bringing up her four siblings alone.  Her father died eight years ago and her mother passed away last year following a long battle against cancer.  Lucy has taken on full responsibility for her sisters 12, 13 and 15 and her brother, nine.  Finances are extremely tight.  She has no other immediate family for support so at times she does feel extremely vulnerable and alone.  Totally reliant on benefits she finds it hard to cope with the ever increasing demands of foour teenagers.  Treats and gifts are not within their means.  The family are however very happy and determined to succeed. Christmas Outlook – NO TOYS OR OTHER SEASONAL TREATS.

Toy appeal

  • Above :Paula Blake from Community Links, with celebrities Perry Fenwick and Ricky Grover and Colin Grainger during the Toy Appeal last year

The Community Links and Newham Recorder Christmas Toy will launch in paper tomorrow. Over the coming weeks, the Recorder and Community Links are combining again for the campaign to reach out to thousands of vulnerable children, families and adults.

Christmas can be a time of stress and isolation as we still have over half our children living in poverty. But Community Links looks to strengthen communities and raise aspirations at this time, making Christmas special and futures brighter.

Community Links is a truly remarkable organisation which does so much to enhance life in East London. I am honoured to be associated with it. I am proud to be a Freeman of the organisation, a patron of the toy appeal, and a founder of the Community Links Friends group, having spearheaded the appeal for the Recorder as reporter, news editor, sub-editor, assistant editor, deputy editor, associate editor and then as Editor for my last 15 years at the Recorder.

So I ask that you to include some very special people in your Christmas shopping budget and see it in your heart to add some special youngsters to your Christmas shopping list.

When you buy gifts for loved ones and friends, please add another – for a child in Newham. If you give a special person some money for their own gift, or perhaps you could put aside some money for a needy child. All toys need to be new and unwrapped and can be for any age upto 16. In particular, the appeal is always short of toys for teenagers.

Many youngsters who benefited from campaigns years ago are now workers or volunteers at Links. It is a philosophy that has stood the test of time: helping and enabling people to help themselves.

I shall be doing my usual 50 lengths sponsored swim so if you want to sponsor me please feel free to do so. Details are on also my Facebook and Twitter pages.

quiz 3

  • The quiz night last year

 

You can also contribute to any of the events Links and the Recorder will be mentioning.  We are holding a quiz night early in December, which is usually a fun night and a great fundraiser. Contact Kevin Jenkins on 07860 487727 to book a table.

When you buy gifts for loved ones and friends, please add another – for a child in Newham. If you give a special person some money for their own gift, or perhaps you could put aside some money for a needy child. All toys need to be new and unwrapped and can be for any age upto 16. In particular, the appeal is always short of toys for teenagers.

I urge everyone who can to give a toy because together we can fill those empty sacks and ensure that Christmas Day is a real Christmas Day this year for every child in Newham.

 

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This article was written on 10 Nov 2015, and is filed under Christmas Toy Appeal, Community Links, community spirit, East London, Toy Appeal.

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