Nationwide campaign to donate new books & toys to The Children’s Society to help bring some joy and happiness to young children
In memory of the four princes and mother of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Midlands based non-profit organisation, the Wahegru Foundation, launched a nationwide campaign to donate new books & toys to The Children’s Society, to help bring some joy and happiness to children in care during the holiday period.
The Christmas period can be a very difficult time for vulnerable children and young people and they often feel neglected, left out and alone. Covid and nationwide lockdowns this year have only further added to the distress which many of these children are already feeling. Being unable to connect with counsellors, carers and friends creates further concern for the mental wellbeing of young people, as they navigate their way through daily hardships and battles. The Wahegru Foundation wanted to send the message that there are people out there who care about them and to be able to put a smile on their faces by donating gifts of new books and toys during the festive period.
The Drive began on 12 October of this year and ran up until 4 December. After eight weeks of collective efforts by the Wahegru Foundation team along with their sponsors, collaborators and donors, a humbling 3,219 gifts with a total RRP value of £30,782.81 was raised.
Grace Harvey, Refugee and Migrant Support Practitioner at The Children's Society commented: “It’s been a really hard year for all of our children that we support, there has been an increase in destitution recently and lots of young people have felt very isolated. Not being able to go to college, not being able to go to school, it has been incredibly hard for them. The children that I work with specifically generally don’t have a lot of belongings, especially toys. A huge thank you, this has just been absolutely amazing, we are so overwhelmed by your generosity and this really will make a difference to the young people that we work with and the families, so thank you so much! It really does mean a lot. ”
In receiving such an overwhelming response, the team at the Wahegru Foundation have expressed their closing remarks and gratitude: “As well as being a time of Christmas and giving, for Sikhs, the month of December is also a time of remembrance and reflection, as we remember the sacrifices made by our ancestors who fought to defend the weak, the homeless and the hungry from oppression and tyranny during the times of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
As such, for us at the Wahegru Foundation, the Book & Toy Drive was a case of combining two cultures, using a time of giving and remembrance, to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We are humbled by all the love and generosity that has been received and we hope we’ve made a positive difference in a child’s life.”