Why We're Supporting Yorkshire Children's Charity at Our Christmas Fair in York
Living North's chosen charity for this year's Christmas Fair is Yorkshire Children's Charity
and cared for when they need it most.
For many of us, the festive season arrives wrapped in familiar comforts: gaudy Christmas jumpers, twinkling lights in windows, the anticipation of presents beneath the tree, and the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. But for some families, this period can bring a different kind of pressure. When money is already stretched, the colder months make the simplest things – a warm new coat or pair of shoes, thick bedding, or a family dinner – feel out of reach.
For children living in poverty, a time that should be filled with magic instead becomes one of worry and uncertainty.
Yorkshire Children’s Charity (YCC) is here to give families who are struggling the support they need. Working across the county, the charity supports children and families facing disadvantage, helping to provide the things that can so easily be taken for granted. Their work stretches beyond the festive season too. Alongside financial support, YCC provides grants and responds to individual appeals, including funding specialist equipment for children living with disabilities. In one case, a family received support towards their child’s wheelchair after they were unable to access the appropriate equipment through the NHS.
YCC works closely with schools across Yorkshire to understand where support is needed most. These relationships are at the heart of the charity’s work, allowing teachers to identify children and their families who may be struggling and ensuring help can reach them quietly and sensitively.
This winter, YCC’s Winter Support Campaign is expected to reach around 3,000 children across Yorkshire. Sophie Ziliukas, YCC’s marketing executive, explains the two phases of the project. ‘Phase one involves providing essentials. We work with schools across the region to identify areas of need and then use the money from donations to supply the basics,’ she says. ‘This includes things such as a winter coat, new shoes, or warm bedding as the temperatures drop.’ This phase runs until the end of October as the cold weather sets in. One in three children across Yorkshire are currently living in poverty, and the impact of these provisions is significant. A warm bed means a better night’s sleep, a winter coat means being able to walk to school without feeling cold, a new pair of shoes means warm, dry feet. All of these are one less reason to stay home.
As CEO Charlotte Farrington explains, being at school matters for many reasons. ‘When children aren’t there, they’re not learning, not eating the hot meal they might rely on, and not somewhere we know they are warm, safe and cared for’, she says. Breaking the barriers that may prevent a child from getting to school is, therefore, paramount.
In phase two, schools inform YCC of any vulnerable children, and these children are invited to write a Christmas list for Santa. Sophie explains: ‘We then organise fundraising events and encourage donations to fund the presents so the children are given something they actually really want.’
But it doesn’t end there. ‘The parents are then given the presents through the schools, so they can wrap them and put them beneath the tree for Christmas Day,’ Sophie says. ‘Because no parent wants to be in the position of asking a charity to provide Christmas for their child.’ YCC’s aim is to make sure that, in difficult times, parents still have the chance to create something magical.
This year, YCC is aiming to raise £142,000 for their Winter Support Campaign. This is where Living North readers can do their bit to help. Every donation, however large or small, can help them reach this goal. There are many ways to offer support. Donations can be made directly to YCC at Living North’s Christmas Fair at York Racecourse, or can be made through their website below – where you can also set up a monthly donation. YCC is also looking for volunteers to help in the charity’s warehouse, picking and packing presents and essential items this Christmas. ‘For anyone interested, it would be a great help as we’re currently only a team of 16 people,’ Sophie says.
Supporting YCC at Living North’s Christmas Fair feels fitting. Christmas is about coming together, giving a little more, and remembering that a small act of kindness can carry a long way. So, while you browse the stalls and soak up the festive atmosphere at this year’s fair, remember those for whom Christmas can be a difficult time. Together, we can help YCC make this festive season a little warmer, a little brighter and a little more magical for the people who need it most.
