Anthony Topley, a Partner in Gillotts Funeral Directors (On the Right), with Heather Bissett, Assistant Manager of The Helpful Bureau in Warren Street, Stapleford – which is one of five local charities chosen to receive money from Gillotts’ Christmas Tree Memorial appeal this year
Five local charities which help some of the most vulnerable people in the community have received some early Christmas cheer after a Nottinghamshire funeral firm agreed to give them the proceeds from its annual festive fundraiser.
Gillotts Funeral Directors has pledged to split the money raised through its forthcoming Christmas Memorial Tree 2019 appeal to five good causes which were set up to make life better for people living in Eastwood, Kimberley, Stapleford, Selston and Heanor.
The company has offices in all five locations and will donate £1 to charity every time a family leaves a message of remembrance on Christmas trees erected at each branch as part of the appeal.
The charities are Rumbletums, a community café and supported training project for young people with a learning disability in Kimberley; The Helpful Bureau, which provides services such as home help assistance, activities and transport to old people in Stapleford; Selston Sunshiners, an over-50s social group in Selston; The Memory Café, which supports patients with dementia and their carers in Eastwood and Salcare, a one-stop-shop which provides a range of support services for vulnerable people and families in Heanor.
Joanne Hutsby, a Partner in Gillotts Funeral Directors, said: “Our Christmas Tree Memorial event has raised more than £20,000 over the past 14 years and has benefitted a whole range of worthy charities, big and small.
“This year we wanted to recognise the work that is taking place on the doorsteps of our individual offices, which is why we have found five extremely worthy local causes to support.
“Our Christmas tree appeal has become a very important fixture in our calendar because it allows us to catch up with families who have lost their loved ones and may be facing their first Christmas without them.
“As well as offering them comfort, we also hope our appeal will help benefit small, local charities who work so hard to make people’s lives better all year round as well.”
Heather Bessant, Assistant Manager of The Helpful Bureau, in Warren Street, Stapleford, said: “Without the support we receive from donations we simply could not operate, so it’s wonderful to have been chosen as the beneficiary of Gillotts’ Christmas Tree Appeal.
“We have an ageing population and an increasing number of people are using our services for longer, whether by coming to our classes and activities or by having us travel out to help them with their gardening or housework.
“For some of our users, our staff are their only contact with the outside world and often their only source of company, so anything that helps us will have a hugely significant effect on their health and wellbeing.”
Last year, Gillotts raised £2,000 through its Christmas appeal, which was split equally between the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Blood Bike charities. For more details on this year’s appeal visit: www.gillotts.co.uk.
