Child Friendly Warwickshire

For several years, Warwickshire County Council’s Children and Families Service has worked with various organisations, charities and individuals to support families and provide Christmas presents for their children.  

Donated gifts have ensured that Warwickshire’s care-experienced young people, as well as other vulnerable children and young people across the county, have something to open on Christmas Day. 

This year the tradition has continued and the work of the service along with friends of the Child-Friendly Warwickshire initiative has meant that hundreds of Warwickshire families benefited. 

Warwickshire County Councillor Sue Markham, Portfolio Holder for Children and Families said: “We are incredibly grateful to individuals and community groups who donated Christmas gifts this year. 

“Every gesture, grand or small, plays a vital role in building a community that cares for its children. These generous individuals spent time, money and effort ensuring Warwickshire children who, for many reasons, may not have received any gifts, had something to open on Christmas morning. There are lots of ways to give back and this is just one that truly embodies the ethos of Child Friendly Warwickshire.” 

Special thanks to the following contributors: 

• Lighthouse Games: A special mention to Lighthouse Games, a Leamington Spa based gaming company, for their extraordinary partnership, generously donating £5,000 worth of gifts for our Care Experienced young people. 
• “Operation Snowfall 23” by Morrisons Leamington Spa Community: The Morrisons Leamington Spa community spearheaded this initiative, creating age-appropriate shoe boxes for children on the cusp of entering care.  
• Norma Wilson: A heartfelt thank you to Norma Wilson for crafting hampers for young people who have recently left care and asylum seekers without family support. 
• Warwickshire County Council’s Market Hall Museum Team: The Market Hall Museum team has played a crucial role by collecting Christmas gifts for Warwickshire Children’s Services, ensuring that children in need experience the magic of the season. 
• Warwickshire Museum & Eliot Park Innovation Centre: for hosting donation drop off points. This produced an amazing collection of gifts. Thank you to anyone who utilised these drop off points.  
• Warwickshire County Council’s Resources Employee Forum: A warm thank you to the Resources Employee Forum for their generous donations of gifts, toys, handwritten Christmas cards, and £170 worth of gift cards. 
• Cornerstone Partnership, Controls Assurance Team at JLR, and Puddle Ducks Nursery: We extend our thanks to Child-Friendly friends Cornerstone Partnership and the Controls Assurance team at JLR for their fantastic donations, helping us create a brighter future for the children of Warwickshire. 
• Additional Thanks: Gratitude to Cadantis Associates and Acorns Children's Clubs for their donations to FIS, enriching the lives of children beyond our immediate network of friends. 

The donations will mean a lot to children, young people, and their families, and the thoughtfulness of the people of Warwickshire makes a difference.  

To get involved with helping young people in your community, visit childfriendlywarwickshire.co.uk/involved . 

Here’s to a kind and thoughtful 2024!