Irene & Alan, who are residents of Formentera Del Segura & members of our forum, have to be commended for working hard to help 22 young people aged 7 - 17 residing in the EMAUS children's home in Elche.
My husband & I met Irene & Alan recently when we donated a TV to the home in the hope they could make use of it as it was not needed by us. They were on their way to accept gifts for the young people from The Christmas Shop then they were going on to Elche to teach the youngsters English.
Taken from The Round Town News which is out tomorrow.
Christmas presents galore!
THANKS TO The Christmas Shop in San Luis, near Torrevieja, more than 300 needy children will get a Christmas present this year. The shop organised a Christmas present donation campaign in November, heavily promoted on TKO and in the pages of RTN and a total of 340 Christmas presents for children of all ages was collected.
Last week, RTN went along to the shop to see the presents being distributed to representatives of four charities who will pass on the gifts to children in need and in their care.
The children’s homes in Gandia and Elche and the ‘Caritas’ charities of both Algorfa and Rojales, were the lucky recipients and as well as the presents, the children who live at the EMAUS children’s home in Elche will also receive a pair of pyjamas each, courtesy of Lucy from the Christmas Shop. She told RTN: “When I asked them exactly what the children needed, they said that they were in dire need of some decent pyjamas, so I went to Primark and bought 28 pairs of different pyjamas in different age ranges, so that all the children at the home have a new pair for Christmas.”
HAMPERS
The present donation campaign started after Irene from EMAUS and her husband Alan went into the shop as customers. They started talking with Lucy and the other members of staff at the shop and the idea was born. Irene told RTN: “There are 22 Spanish children currently at the home, ranging in age from seven to 17 years. For a lot of them this is their first Christmas in care, so it is absolutely fabulous that the customers of the Christmas Shop, the readers of RTN and the listeners of TKO have been so generous.”
Colin Ranson, President of the Lo Crispin Residents Association, was at the presentation on behalf of the Caritas in Algorfa. He told RTN: “There are 15 families in Algorfa who will all receive a hamper worth €100 this Christmas as part of an initiative between The Christmas Shop and the Lo Crispin Residents Association. And all the children will also receive a present, which will make the whole family’s Christmas so much better this year.”
FROM SWEDEN WITH LOVE
Lucy has even organised for 60 dog food Christmas stockings to be made up for two of the local animal charities. Both SAT and Animal Aid received the stockings which will be given to the abandoned dogs in their care over the Christmas period. Lucy commented: “Everyone has been so generous this year and I would like to say a great big thank you to all the customers of The Christmas Shop who have donated to not only the Christmas present campaign but also with dog food and treats.”
One Swedish lady donated a whole huge bag of presents. She got all her friends in Sweden to donate some money and then went out and bought 30 individual presents, wrapped them all herself and put them in a big bag with a tag on it saying, ‘From Santa, Lapland, Sweden.’
A very happy Christmas Irene & Alan & a wonderful New Year.