Once a year, a small team at St Luke’s shops and packs 50 Christmas hampers to give to families from the Watford and Three Rivers Refugee Partnership (WTRRP).
These hampers might be the refugee families’ only Christmas treat so the aim is to make them as special as possible. The 2024 hamper was definitely the best yet.
The team has a WhatsApp group which came alive in September, and from that moment they researched the best buys, shopped, and stored all the items, large and small, practical, edible, cosy, and fun.
Finally, on 6th December everything was brought together in the upstairs hall at St Luke’s and laid out, ready for packing. The team was so grateful to the youth who once again came in the evening to help pack the boxes.
In April 2024 a letter of thanks was received from the WTRRP for the 2023 hampers. Numbers of people seeking help from WTRRP continue to increase as they apply for permission to remain in the UK, usually as a result of war or persecution, and despite this being beyond our control, once a year at Christmas we can spread a little joy and love, and show that we care.
Jill Rogers and the Santa’s Hampers Team