Jingle Bells at the ready!
We are doing the Elf and Reindeer schemes again this Christmas as they create lots of smiles, but we need YOUR help. Could you use your imagination, send a Christmas card or do a ‘shoe box’ of smiles?
Maria is being the “Head Reindeer”. A Reindeer is someone who is assigned a young child and sends 9 cards during the month of December, one from each reindeer, talking from the reindeers perspective i.e. talking about the sleigh getting full, getting ready for the big night, loving carrots being left out etc. It is not only fun for the child receiving the cards, but also for the volunteers getting to do imaginative writing. In the past one girl believed the reindeer wrote to her as she helped look after her disabled brother. Another little boy was very relieved as Father Christmas definitely knew he was in hospital so wouldn’t be missed out.
If you would like to volunteer to be a reindeer please send an email.
Lorna is being our “Head Elf”. She will assign an Elf (volunteer) to every child and the elf then gathers gifts up to the value of £15 and sends them in December. It is a little like the Christmas shoe box appeals we are all familiar with. Anyone of any age can be an elf, whether it’s little children picking gifts which they think someone their age would like, or adults who now have a good excuse to buy that pink fluffy present! We like to assign 2 Elves to every child as in the past people have committed to being an Elf but then not sent anything (or let us know they couldn’t continue) so that means we have 240 volunteers to find!
If you would like to volunteer to be an Elf please send an email to Lorna. Please include how many children you would like to be an Elf too, and any requirements i.e. a young girl. We have a particular problem finding volunteers for teenage boys so if you would be happy to take one on please let Lorna know.
You can of course send Christmas cards or gifts (of any size or value) to individual children by following the “5 Easy Steps” on the home page.
After writing this I will post an email, please consider forwarding it to friends, family, posting on blogs, message boards etc. Hopefully we can bring lots of sparkle to families who have had a very difficult year.
I will sign off with a little poem which I like,
I heard a little Christmas
in the laughter of a child
I saw a little Christmas
in a snowman’s jolly smile,
I felt a little Christmas
when I have a gift away…
Just little things…
An yet they filled my heart
with joy today…
Take care, Vikki
Nikita with a bear from her elf, (Nikita passed away on Christmas Eve)
Email to send.
Hello, this Christmas I’m planning on making some sick children smile simply by sending some post.
Post Pals brightens the lives of seriously ill children (most of whom are fighting cancer or going through transplants) and their siblings by featuring them on the website www.postpals.co.uk with their own page, with their story, interests and a forwarding address. Members of the public from around the world can log on and send cards, letters, emails and small gifts to brighten the child’s day and let them know someone cares. Post Pals does this all year around but at Christmas they run some special schemes.
Reindeers (volunteers) are assigned to a young child and during December they send a card from each of Santa’s reindeer, talking about anything from loving it when carrots are left out or how full the sleigh is getting. Its great fun to use your imagination and the children really enjoy it, one boy was so relieved as it meant santa definitely knew he was in hospital at Christmas and another girl thought the reindeer wrote to her as she was good in helping her mum look after her disabled brother.
The elf scheme is another project, a little like the Shoe Box appeal we all know. You’re assigned a child and you have a read their page to get to know them. Then you gather up gifts to the value of £15 and send them off to the child in December. Post Pals needs to find 240 volunteers for this so please spread the world about how to make a difference this Christmas.
You can also send christmas cards or little gifts to any child, just log onto www.postpals.co.uk click on “News” to find out how to volunteer and see how a simple gesture can make a big difference.
About Post Pals;
www.postpals.co.uk – Post a Smile on a Sick Child’s Face
Winner of Queens Award for Voluntary Services 2008
Supported by Princes Trust and Children in Need
Patron Fearne Cotton
Post Pals on the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/3673782.stm
