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The New Journal's Don Ryan picks up the Christmas hampers from Camden Town Marks and Spencer food manager Lee Collis |
New Journal hands out record number of Christmas gifts thanks to success of this year’s festive hamper appeal
THE familiar sound of Santa Claus’s “ho, ho, ho” rang out across the borough on Monday as the New Journal spent the day delivering hampers.
From the steep inclines of Hampstead to the terraces of Somers Town, our “hamper mobile” rolled on throughout the day to deliver its precious cache of Marks and Spencer hampers.
The New Journal’s Hamper Appeal – set up in the early 1980s and now heading towards its 30th birthday – aims to bring a smile to the faces of Camden’s less well-off.
Generous donations by readers, and support from the Oxford Arms pub and the Dublin Castle in Camden Town, allowed the New Journal to raise £8,500 and hand out 300 hampers this year – more than ever before.
The hampers are a treat for the elderly who may be spending Christmas alone and those who are stuck indoors through illness. It is also for single parents who may dread this time of year and the financial strain it brings.
Councillor Don Williams, who played this year’s Santa in freezing temperatures, said: “A lot of the time, what people really lack is human touch and intervention; it’s not just about the hampers. I have wanted to get involved in the Hamper Appeal for a long time.”
Despite not arriving through the chimney, Santa still managed to bring some Christmas cheer.
“Thank you very much, you’ve made my day,” said 78-year-old Olga Taylor from Oseney Crescent in Kentish Town. Ms Taylor, a retired nurse who travelled to London from her native Guyana in South America in the 1950s, will be alone this Christmas. Almost entirely housebound, Ms Taylor suffers from osteoperosis and cannot go more than 30 minutes without resting.
Danielle Moorehead and her 16-month-old daughter Ruby from South End Green were next on Santa’s list. Ms Moorehead said the hamper would make the difference during the festive break.
She said: “I’m really grateful, it’s really great.”
Hugh Knopf, from Camden Tenancy Support, said the hampers were a “fabulous treat” for its 120 members. The charity, based in Regent’s Park, helps those struggling with their tenancies. “It’s that time of year when a hamper is just a little special treat for people who feel quite left out and forgotten,” he added.
A tearful Angeliki Fereou, 85, who is unable to leave her Somers Town home due to her rheumatoid arthritis and is cared for full-time by her daughter Nitsa Skeffington, said: “Everything in the hamper is lovely – especially the biscuits.”
Carolyn Harms, of Christchurch Hill, Hampstead, was delighted by the unexpected appearance of Santa. “What a lovely surprise,” said Ms Harms, a retired personal assistant. “I never win raffles or anything.”
Ms Harms promised not to open the hamper until Christmas day, when she will share it with her daughter and grand-daughter.
Community groups receiving hampers this year included West Hampstead Community Association, Highgate Newtown Community Association, the Caribbean Friends Group and a homeless support service. |
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