Posted: 04/01/09
College supports local homeless charity
Homeless people in Mansfield are set to receive some Christmas cheer, thanks to West Nottinghamshire College.
Clothing, food parcels, toiletries, children’s clothes and gifts donated by staff and students throughout December have been sent to Mansfield-based charity The Hall Homeless Support Project.
The College has also donated £630 to the project following a festive fundraising drive, which included a Christmas Stars initiative which encouraged people to pen good wishes on stars and place them on College Christmas trees. Cash has also been raised through the recycling of ink cartridges topped off with a £200 boost from the College itself.
Geoff Vincent, the Student Health, Safety and Welfare Co-ordinator at the College organised the first delivery of the gifts to the Project. He said: “There has been an amazing response to the charity by staff and students. We’ve received so many useful items for the hampers that will last well into the New Year. Even though people don’t have much spare cash at this time of year, we’ve had so many kind donations.”
One young homeless woman who was at the Project when the first delivery arrived (who asked not to be named), said: “It has made my day. I was not expecting anything at all this Christmas but thanks to people at West Nottinghamshire College, things will be a lot better.”
The College has established a link with QC Supplies, which gives cash-back in return for empty ink cartridges. Angie Pilgrim, the College’s Procurement Manager, said: “We had a growing fund through the recycling initiative and this Christmas we wanted to donate to this local charity.”
Tony Lee, Chairman of the Hall Homeless Project management committee, and Project Manager Gillian Footitt visited the College to receive the fundraising cash.
Tony said: “We thank the staff and students for their fundraising efforts. This cheque will be helpful in buying clothes and food for our visitors to the Project. We would like to keep up our good links with West Nottinghamshire College in the New Year.”
