Operation Sergeant Santa
Do you want to help a child this Christmas?
Unfortunately, not all children in Islington can enjoy the festive season. It is a sad fact but there are many children whose families cannot afford to celebrate Christmas in the traditional way. Some 648 children in the borough fall under the council’s definition of being in need, meaning they require help from the authorities to meet basic requirements for standard of living, health and education. These children often live in families that cannot afford to buy them presents, put on a fancy meal or go on a holiday. However, there are several ways members of the public can help them.
The Metropolitan Police are running an appeal to provide all these children with toys this Christmas, launched for Islington last month at Angel and Archway stations where Christmas trees were put up. This is part of the Met Commissioner’s Christmas Tree Project. Set up by commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe who experienced something similar whilst working for South Yorkshire Police in Sheffield, were a Christmas tree with tags was put up and members of the public would remove the tags and bring them back with presents. PC David Williams, who is running the appeal for Islington notes the project started with “one tree outside New Scotland Yard in 2012 and over the last couple of years has grown in all 32 London boroughs” to make sure “no child is going to go without” this Christmas.
The appeal started with a competition to design a poster for the campaign. More than 300 entries came from Islington with cadets selecting the winner, Sofie, a Year 6 pupil won Islington’s prize, with Camden’s winner picking up the overall prize.
The appeal was formally launched at Angel Tube Station, where PC Williams says there were “cadets, police officers talking to commuters” with a “pretty good” response from the public. Williams believes there was “lots of enthusiasm at the launch, people wanted to know how they could help”. Indeed, the Just Giving page has already exceeded its target.
Williams also believes this is a fantastic way to help children that aren’t as lucky as others, as “some families fall through the net” but this way “every child in Islington is going to get at least something”.
Over 100 toys for this appeal were provided by Finsbury Park based charity, The Toy Project, who Islington residents can get involved with to help both local children and those throughout the country. Co-founder Jane Garfield says her charity was founded “completely by accident around the kitchen table, we started with bereaved children but have now expanded to all children. Children in hospitals, hospices, bereavement centres children in care”. They have so far donated “nearly 300 new toys” in Islington, Camden and Hackney for this Christmas. Garfield is modest about her charity’s work admitting it’s “very easy” as they “just provide presents” so long as the public donate and buy toys. The Toy Project does not discriminate with who they give toys to either, Garfield asserting “we’ll send them regardless of who they are and what they are”. After a fire damaged a care home in Brighton, the charity sent them toys as they were “needed in Brighton”. For those interested in supporting them, they will be at the N1 Market in the week before Christmas Eve, selling recycled toys to raise money to “buy new toys, specific toys for families who were referred to us”.
Other local charities have been supportive of the campaign, too. Some of the children who will receive presents are currently or have been in care and Natasha Finlayson, Chief Executive of Become, a charity for children in care or care leavers located in White Lion Street said: “Children in care and care leavers can find Christmas a particularly hard time of year, with so much attention focused on spending time with family. It may bring up difficult memories too. Initiatives like these can really help children feel special, and ensure that they know that their community cares.”
While Jack Chandler, manager at Upper Street’s Oxfam Bookshop stated: “it’s great to see the local Police getting behind a local appeal. I travel in from Archway into Angel every morning and am always made to feel a festive glow when I see the trees that are being used in this appeal. It doesn’t come as a surprise as the local Police in Islington have always proven themselves to be a friendly cohort, happy to help where they can in their own community and show this with pride. Working in a busy charity shop in Angel as I do it’s also reassuring to find charitable good works happening throughout the year and especially, in this case, at this time of year. In a society with so much helping those with less on our own doorsteps, as well as within a global context from within the work I do at Oxfam, I am filled with reassurance that the local community constantly proves themselves to be so generous.”
It is hoped the appeal will be a success and provide joy for Islington’s children in need this Christmas, all of whom have had presents provided for. However, if you wish to donate to help distribution, you can do so at www.justgiving.com/metxmastree or text METX99 followed by the figure you wish to donate to 70070.