The spirit of Christmas has come to Melbourne after two businesses launched an appeal to help a local charity give smiles to poorly children this festive season.
Q Branch Consulting has joined forces with Melbourne Print in a Christmas present appeal to help the me&dee charity turn Santa for poorly children whose lives are spent in and out of hospital.
The two businesses are calling on the community to contribute Christmas gifts which will be distributed by me&dee’s volunteers to children in Burton Hospital Children’s Ward and those receiving care from the Community Children’s Nursing Team, who provide nursing care and support to children with healthcare needs, many who have palliative conditions, including those needing end of life care.
Melbourne-based me&dee, founded by Maria Hanson MBE, provides memory-making experiences for thousands of families where a life-limiting condition has been diagnosed.
Every year the charity organises a present drive in addition to its continuing care programme which this year will see more than 200 people dealing with serious medical issues within the family taken for inclusive days out including to the NEC Winter Funland.
The charity’s volunteers take care to provide presents that are age appropriate and suitable for hospital life.
The present drive is calling for local businesses to contribute gifts to provide Christmas joy to children who are going through some of the toughest times imaginable.
These include everything from baby toys such as teethers, beanies, cuddly toys and books to gifts for teenagers such as gift cards, LCD drawing tablets, pens, pencils, blankets and fluffy socks. ‘Free from’ chocolate is also especially appreciated.
Yvonne Woolley, family support worker from the Community Children’s Nursing Team, which is part of the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), said Christmas gifts provided to children by me&dee had been very gratefully received in the past.
“Some of the children we look after are non-verbal and a lot have complex needs,” she said. “Just to see their eyes light up when you go and deliver presents, it’s beautiful.”
Matt Clutterham, co-founder of Q Branch Consulting, said: “We are very proud to be sponsoring the me&dee Christmas present drive in collaboration with Melbourne Print.
“This charity does incredible work all year round for families who are experiencing all the trauma of seeing children spending months in hospital. Being based in Melbourne we see first hand the hard work that Maria and her team put in every day in helping bring joy to people’s lives when they sorely need it.
“We hope that lots of people really get behind this Christmas present appeal and show that the festive spirit is alive and well. We hope to see lots of gifts dropped off at Melbourne Print – they will go to people who really need them.”
Maria Hanson MBE said: “We are very grateful to Q Branch Consulting and Melbourne Print for organising this Christmas present drive for me&dee. It’s great to see the local community getting together to help us do what we do best: spread joy.
“Christmas is a very busy time for me&dee but it’s important to us to spread love and joy to as many families as we can. You can’t imagine how much distress that lots of people are going through and a thoughtful Christmas present means so much to the children we help.”
All donations should be dropped off to Melbourne Print by Friday 5 December. For health and safety and hygiene reasons, only new gifts and toys can be accepted. Melbourne Print is based at 73 Derby Road, Melbourne, DE738FE.
