By Andy Dalton
Volunteers from a West Leeds charity have earned a well deserved rest over the Christmas holidays.
Working almost up to the last minute – their efforts ensured that scores of children from struggling families received a surprise present on Christmas morning.
In the two weeks before Christmas Day volunteers and staff at Leeds City Mission in Armley sourced and packed presents in their premises in Mistress Lane. Kind-hearted businesses, individuals, churches and other organisations rallied to assist the City Mission by donating a comprehensive range of presents for children across a wide age range.
Leeds City Mission in Mistress Lane, Armley. Photo: Andy Dalton
Leeds City Mission is one of the oldest charities in the city and has been in continuous existence since 1837. It works among marginalized people and poorer families who are struggling with life.
From its Mission Room premises a variety of compassion projects are organised bringing much needed help to people out of work, homeless and those on low incomes. It utilised its extensive networks in the yuletide season to identify families in real need and provide them with a present for their children.
A number of volunteers helped to bring the project to a successful conclusion within a very tight time frame. They enjoyed collecting, sorting, categorising and organising the donated presents which other volunteers delivered to needy families before Christmas Day.
A spokesman for the City Mission remarked that it was unimaginable that any child should have the unfortunate experience to wake up on Christmas morning to have no gift or present waiting for them.
He said that a constant stream of people were visiting the City Mission needing help and assistance driven by the cost of living crisis, inflation and a multitude of other reasons. This Christmas Gift Project was just one of the responses initiated by the City Mission in its vital and ongoing work.
Leeds City Mission is a multi-church Christian agency working with marginalised people and seeks to meet the physical, social and spiritual needs of Leeds residents.
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