The fantastic team at SGN’s Aldershot depot have dug deep to support children of families in crisis this Christmas.
Jade Temperton, Connections Account Manager at SGN Aldershot, was looking for a way to make a difference this Christmas when she spotted a ‘Giving Tree’ in her local pub, The Heron, in Portsmouth.
A Giving Tree is an initiative where charities place a tree covered in gift tags in a local venue. Each tag on the tree corresponds to a child in need at Christmas time, and people are encouraged to take a tag and buy a gift to be donated to the charity for that child.
The tree Jade spotted was set up by Southern Domestic Abuse Services, a refuge that supports and empowers women and children to live without the fear and threat of domestic abuse, with the gifts directly going to children experiencing some of the toughest times this Christmas.
Inspired, and with the help of Admin Clerk Abi Layton, Jade emailed her colleagues across the depot in the hope that one or two others might want to join her in donating a gift, only to be overwhelmed when 19 of her workmates responded, saying they wanted to get on board and grab a tag!
Within a few weeks, all 19 had donated, a kindness that Jade said truly reflects what SGN is all about.
“I’ve been overwhelmed at the generosity and care I’ve seen from the team here at SGN Aldershot. I always knew they were a good bunch, but I didn’t expect so many people to respond so quickly! Every day I came into work, I was finding presents left on, in or under my desk!
“Christmas is a tough time for me personally, and I wanted to do something positive that would set an example for my children and show the difference that even one person can make. The gift tag that I picked was for a 14-year-old girl at the refuge; I can only imagine what she is going through this Christmas, so to be a small part of something positive was a wonderful feeling.
“I’m so grateful to my friends and colleagues at SGN for rallying around and helping us bring a little joy to children who need it most this festive season.”