Kindness of Christmas Raises Over £16,000 for City’s Care Homes

A crowd-fund campaign to send food hampers as a festive treat to Wolverhampton care homes has raised more than £16,000.

‘Kindness of Christmas’ raised a total of £16,444 enabling each of the 68 care homes in the city to enjoy a luxury hamper to share with their residents this Christmas. 

The campaign was supported by supermarket Tesco PLC, who donated £500 worth of goods to kick start the appeal. The supermarket also produced the hampers with City of Wolverhampton Council. 

Kindness of Christmas is being delivered alongside West Midlands Police’s ‘Festive Kindness’ campaign which also seeks to show support and care for the vulnerable by distributing Christmas cards to residents of care homes, as well as food and toys to food banks across the city. 

Councillor Linda Leach, City of Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for adult services, said “This year has been difficult for everyone, especially older people and their families who have been through so much during Covid-19.  

“I know that people are feeling extremely worried and anxious, but I would like to let you know that we are continuing to support and safeguard our vulnerable residents. 

“Some families and friends have not been able to hug or hold hands with loved ones in a home, and now, more than ever it’s important that we show them how special they are, and that we are thinking of them. 

“I’d like to thank everyone who donated to the Kindness of Christmas campaign, once again you have shown the caring and community-spirited nature of our city. Your generosity means these hampers will bring some joy to the residents and the staff of all care homes in the city”. 

Employees from City of Wolverhampton Council and Wolverhampton Homes volunteered their time to make sure all the hampers were carefully put together ready for distribution across the city. 

Any surplus money raised from the fund, after purchasing hampers and the contents will be shared equally with the care homes. 

The campaign followed the previous phases of the One City Fund crowd-funding initiative, a collaboration between the City of Wolverhampton Council, Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council (WVCS) and several organisations from across Wolverhampton, aimed at supporting vulnerable groups in the City during the pandemic.  

A total of four campaigns were run under the One City Fund umbrella between them raising over £90,000, each with a particular focus; people facing severe financial hardship as a result of Covid-19, raising vital funds to support the increased demand on the city’s food banks, supporting the homeless and helping people who have no access to technology to access important services or information.