Local primary schools’ choirs visit city centre shop to celebrate charity appeal success
Festive cheer was in full swing at the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) city centre shop this week as local people dropped off gifts to be donated to underprivileged children from the local area.
As part of Rock FM’s Cash for Kids: Mission Christmas Appeal, the University’s ‘In the City Shop’ on Lune Street collected presents suitable for young people up to the age of 18 that will be handed out to disadvantaged children in Lancashire ready for Christmas Day.
Presents for young people of all ages have been dropped off at the shop by generous locals over the last three weeks. To celebrate the initiative, children from St Matthew’s Church of England and Holy Family Catholic primary schools visited for a choir carol sing-along and to take part in Christmas crafts.
"Some children don’t get presents like we do and get upset so by buying extra presents to give to them it makes everyone equal."
Abigail Greer, 10, from Holy Family said: “Some children don’t get presents like we do and get upset so by buying extra presents to give to them it makes everyone equal.”
St Matthew’s pupil, 10-year-old Hibba Ajaib commented: “It’s nice to think that by buying presents for other children it will make them happy and they’ll enjoy Christmas. I’ve really enjoyed singing and taking part in Christmas crafts today.”
UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike Thomas said: “We’ve had a great response to this appeal and it’s fantastic that the University and the local community are able to link up and help families in need at Christmas time."
"We’ve had a great response to this appeal and it’s fantastic that the University and the local community are able to link up and help families in need at Christmas time."
“It’s great to see local school children come along to support us and I want to thank them for getting involved in our very important project.”
UCLan has set up two other drop-off points on its Preston Campus for staff and students to donate presents. Cash for Kids is the official charity of local radio station Rock FM and the University has a long-standing relationship with the charity with event management students raising funds every year as part of their studies. Last year Rock FM raised more than £654,400 in gifts and cash and supported more than 12,500 local children through the appeal.
View photos from the event on UCLan’s Flickr gallery.