Christmas gift collections bring support to Co-op Academies communities
Co-op Academies Trust’s Community Team, working alongside Co-op colleagues and partners, has helped thousands of children and families feel supported this Christmas through a huge gift collection effort.
In the run up to Christmas, Co-op Academies Trust Community Team worked with Co-op colleagues, suppliers and partners to collect and distribute gifts for children and families across our academies.
The activity formed part of the Trust’s ongoing poverty proofing work, recognising that Christmas can be a difficult time for some families in our communities. The aim was simple. To make sure children had something to open on Christmas morning and families felt supported at a time when costs can be high.
Two volunteering gift collection days were held at Angel Square, Co-op’s headquarters, bringing together more than 20 volunteers. Over the two days, more than 250 gifts were donated, sorted by region and sent directly to academies where they were most needed.
Keela Walsh from the Co-op Member and Co-operative Engagement Community Team helped publicise the collections across Co-op colleagues and suppliers, sharing gift lists and encouraging donations. Co-op Academies Trust Community Team worked closely alongside this, coordinating volunteers and managing the logistics to ensure gifts reached families quickly and safely.
"We’re truly grateful and proud of the incredible generosity shown by our colleagues and suppliers, who came together to donate gifts for our academy students. Thank you for making a real difference.”
Strong relationships with Co-op suppliers also played a key role. Thanks to strong, trusted partnerships, a number of Co-op suppliers and teams ran their own gift giving days, including HH Global and the Co-op Media Network team.
The Community Team also continued its close work with Dunelm through the Christmas Tree Gift Tag appeal. This helped to highlight the most impactful items that families need at this time of year, ensuring donations were thoughtful, practical and led by local knowledge.
In Stoke-on-Trent, Academy Community Pioneer Vicky Dreya was able to collect a significant Cash for Kids donation with the support of BT Openreach. Volunteers, including Vicky’s husband and a colleague, helped transport the gifts. This additional support was vital in making sure donations could be moved safely and quickly to where they were needed most.
Across the Trust, Academy Community Pioneers worked closely with staff to understand local needs. They successfully wrote and secured bids to Cash for Kids through the Mission Christmas appeal and to The Salvation Army, helping to unlock vital support for families. They successfully secured funding and donations through Mission Christmas, Cash for Kids and The Salvation Army. At the time of writing, more than 6,783 gifts had been secured for families and communities, with collections still ongoing.
“This year it has really been a huge team effort. Our Academy Community Pioneers know their communities well and work closely with staff to understand what families need. The number of gifts collected reflects an immense piece of work and a lot of care for our communities.”
Together, this work shows the power of cooperation. By working alongside colleagues, partners and local communities, the Trust has been able to support families and help make Christmas a little brighter for children across our academies.
