A group of women from across Liverpool have launched a Christmas stocking appeal, aiming to help children during the festive season.
Natalie Denny and the Scouse Solidarity Sisters are once again running the Scouse Christmas Stockings appeal, which is now in its fourth year. They’re organising a food bank drive and Christmas Stocking appeal for kids, raising money and donations to deliver presents to community centres across Liverpool.
Natalie, Sarah, Michelle, Helen, Ellie and Sophie created the Scouse Solidarity Sisters (SSS) as a long-term fundraising group to support communities struggling due to austerity. They run a food bank drive every year to provide the basics to keep families fed over the Christmas holiday period.
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Natalie told the ECHO: “When we started to plan our foodbank drive, we didn’t want to forget the importance of kids having some magic, especially around Christmas, that’s why we suggested doing stockings. We focus on ‘we need to feed kids’ which obviously we do. For me it should be about more than that.
"It’s about not just having what we need to live, but having what makes life worth living as well. That’s where the idea came from, wanting to provide something for kids who might not get a present or anything additional at Christmas because their families can only afford the bare minimum".
SSS believe in solidarity not charity and think it crucial to keep support consistent in precarious times for communities to stand together. They acknowledge many families and people are only a circumstance away from hardship.
They hope people can spare a single can from their weekly shop, as it may make all the difference to somebody who cannot. SSS also ask for people to donate directly to a food bank and post a picture on social media with the hashtag #SolidarityNotCharity.
Natalie added: “People really love the idea because it’s something they can do while they’re doing their own shopping, or can do online. It doesn’t have to cost a lot and will hopefully be a really lovely thing for many kids on Christmas morning.
“We want to give kids up to the age of 18 something they can have, that’s just for them. Something that’s fun and gives them that little bit of magic on Christmas morning".
SSS is organising two initiatives supporting food banks and families this year for people to either buy a stocking and fill it or order online stocking fillers via their Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.co.uk/
Pick up can be arranged for donations if you email Skywriters@outlook.com SSS aims to have all stocking donations by December 4 so they have time to pack and distribute them.
Please mark up ready-made stockings for the recipient’s age and that any toys gifted are new and not used.
For further information visit Scouse Solidarity Sisters on Facebook or email: Skywriters@outlook.com
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