Hello, today’s Advent Calendar window opens for Barnardos, they are Co-op’s national charity this year, so I visited their Wellingborough shop to find out more about this fabulous organisation that looks after children. The shop has a new manager called Stacey and my oldest son Ben volunteers there too, so I did a little video of them both for you.
Barnardos protect, support and nurture children across the UK. In 2022-23 they reached over 373,000 people. Sharp increases in the cost of living, hard on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, drove many families into further difficulty. Barnardo’s was on the front line of dealing with the fall-out, supporting children and young people struggling with anxiety and mental health issues, as well as increased pressure on family finances.
Co-op and Barnardo’s are working together to raise £5m to support 750,000 young people to access basic needs like food, improve their mental wellbeing, and create better opportunities for their future. To find out more, including different ways you can support young people in your area, visit coop.co.uk/SupportYoungPeople or visit any Co-op to donate.
Watch the video for a tour of Barnardos store on Gold Street. Stacey takes you round, showing off all the new and pre-loved items that they have for sale, including lots of small gifts that would make excellent Christmas presents. Ben then tells you what the charity does. We are joined by a huge teddy called Harvey, which I won at Co-op Redhill by guessing his name, all to raise a few pounds for Barnardos! Happy Christmas.