Footballer Joe Worrall and local entrepreneur Sean Reddington recently paid a visit to Rainbows – an East Midlands Children’s Hospice providing palliative care and support for children, young people, and their families, when faced with life-limiting conditions – to drop off a bumper donation of toys and gifts just in time for Christmas.
CEO of Thrive Learning and local business leader, Sean Reddington, wanted to bring together some festive cheer ahead of Christmas through the gift of giving, with the aim of donating £10,000 worth of toys and goods to a variety of local charities including - Abbey Green Therapeutic Children's Services, Rainbows, and PASIC.
The month of festive giving started with a visit to Abbey Green Therapeutic Children's Services Tuesday 5th December by Sean, Leigh Wood and wider members of the Thrive team. Bringing with them an incredible selection of presents for the children aged six-to-seventeen, including toy cars, superheroes, Lego, sensory toys and lights, pamper gifts such as bath bombs, games and activities to encourage movement to name just a few. Abbey Green is a children’s home which provides therapeutic care and accommodation for children who have experienced traumatic events in their lives.
Sean Reddington, CEO of Thrive Learning, adds: “Giving back shouldn’t, and isn’t at Thrive, limited to Christmas. However, at a time when you can see other people giving and receiving gifts or celebrating with friends and family, or at Christmas parties, it can be a little bit harder on those who have to go without or are looking after a seriously ill child. What we really hope to do is encourage other business leaders and people to get involved. Christmas should be a time of community and bringing people together - we want to recapture that spirit and feeling in our own community. Every donation really does make a difference, and if your gift of a toy could help put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas who might otherwise have to go without, then it’s worth it.”
Riley’s family hadn’t told him that he would be meeting Joe, they had told him he was going to the hospice to see Santa, when Riley turned round and saw Joe he couldn’t believe it and he said to his Mum when Joe had gone. “That wasn’t Santa, who was better than Santa. Joe is my hero.”
Youth Worker Stacey Curzon, commented - “Having told some of our young people about the new gaming computer that was gifted to us by Sean, they have all said how excited they are to come and use it. They said that it is brilliant that they will be able to play the games they enjoy while staying at the Hospice.”
Kirsty Coxon, Corporate Partnership Fundraising, adds, "On Friday, I meet Joe and Sean and was blown away by their kindness and generosity. They were truly interested in the work that we do and our children and young people as we showed them around the hospice. Without company’s like Thrive Learning getting behind Rainbows and supporting us we simply would not be able to remain open. It means the world to everyone here that Sean and Joe took the time to come and see us, and that Sean offered his support for the New Year too.”