Students’ gifts of love to young homeless
SIXTH formers showed their support for young people working their way out of homelessness by filling bags with gifts and useful items to help them on their journey to independence.
Year 13 students at John Cleveland Sixth Form Centre in Hinckley packed bags with food, toiletries, clothes and household items to be given to residents of Lawrence House, the town’s hostel for homeless young men and women aged from 16 to 25.
Students hoped that the gifts would not only cheer the residents at Christmas but would go on to be of practical use when they come to moving on and setting up homes of their own.
Led by sixth form administrator Paula Tomkins, the goodie bags were handed over to hostel project workers before Christmas, to ensure the residents had something to open during the festive period.
Each tutor group chose to buy things for either a male or a female and the gifts were packed in decorated bags donated by Hinckley’s Castle Street store Marmalade Meringue.
Mrs Tomkins said: “As the young people in Lawrence House are aged between 16 and 25 it is a cause particularly close to our students’ hearts.
“They have thought about what it must be like to be in someone else’s shoes who perhaps is in a less fortunate position than themselves and wanted to give them a goodie bag full of treats to let them know they are in our thoughts, especially at this time of year.”
Lawrence House project manager Louise Adams said: “We are truly grateful to John Cleveland Sixth Form Centre for thinking of our residents at this time of year.
“It’s so easy to be caught up in the excitement of Christmas and the expectations of having a lovely time that it is often forgotten not everyone’s experience of Christmas is happy and full of family and friends.
“The goodie bags Year 13 have put together ensure everyone gets something special at Christmas and makes residents feel visible to the world.
“Thank you to all the students for their support.”
Lawrence House, which marked its 25th anniversary in 2017, is managed by Hinckley Homeless Group.
It relies on grants and public donations to continue to offer supported accommodation for up to 12 homeless young people for up to a year each.
For more information visit www.hinckleyhomeless.com