Portsmouth City Council’s Christmas Gift Appeal
Fabulous and festive, Ahmarra hosted our very own holly-jolly Christmas Jumper Day in collaboration with Portsmouth City Council’s Christmas Gift Appeal.
Proud to be supporting some of our city’s most vulnerable people, the gifts generously collected by our team, will be shared across six brilliant local community organisations – Buckland Soup Kitchen, Portsmouth City of Sanctuary, The Parenting Network, Seekers Create, Spark Community Space and URBOND.
Portsmouth City Council said, “A huge thank you to our wonderful suppliers who’ve made it our biggest ever festive appeal! It means hundreds of Portsmouth children and households will have gifts to open at Christmas. Together with our own council staff, Portsmouth businesses donated many hundreds of toys, books, games, food and essentials. The local groups we’re working with will be delivering the gifts to some of the city’s most in need families and people for Christmas. Together, we’ve made Christmas brighter for our community.”
Local Councillor Chris Attwell, who took part in the appeal, said, “We are totally blown away by the generosity of businesses we work with and our own council staff.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated, for helping to make Christmas brighter for many, many Portsmouth children and households.
Our Christmas appeal is just one of the many ways we work with suppliers to deliver social impact and give back to our communities.”
The Parenting Network was one of the local groups delivering the gifts to families. Matt Foster, its Founder and CEO, said, “This appeal means so much to the families we support. These gifts will form part of a toy shop at The Parenting Network. For parents, being able to choose and wrap a gift for their own child restores dignity, hope and a sense of being a parent first, not just someone in need. Thanks to the incredible generosity shown across the city, many children in Portsmouth will wake up to joy, excitement and feeling remembered this Christmas.”
To sweeten the day, we fueled the festivities with mince pies and ‘iced’ cakes from Westbourne Bakery, which the team ‘elfed’ themselves to during morning break.
Hayling Community Christmas Day Lunch
Ahmarra were also pleased to support the Hayling Community Christmas Day Lunch again. This local event brings Hayling Island residents together to share good company, enjoy a festive three-course meal, and celebrate the season with entertainment and warm conversation. The get-together aims to reduce social isolation by providing an opportunity for the community to connect and enjoy Christmas together in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
