After collating figures collected over the Christmas period, Lincolnshire Co-op has shared the results of its Secret Santa campaign, which encouraged customers to donate to 72 charities supporting local people.
The campaign led to some impressive results for the co-op and surrounding community. Drop-off points placed across 101 Co-op food stores, 43 pharmacies, and 13 travel branches ensured that more than 4,562 gifts were donated to toy banks, while 2,716 sanitary products were donated to hygiene banks including the Hygiene Hub at Lincoln County Hospital. Additionally, customers supported more than 43 food banks.
Lincolnshire’s community team also held a number of donation drives at Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United football matches, which saw 424 food items, 189 gifts, 1,126 toiletries and £204 donated across two events. These events were supported by 104 Lincolnshire Co-op team members who donated their time via their employer-funded volunteering hours.
Several beneficiaries of the Secret Santa campaign have shared the impact it had on their work. Around 10% of pupils at the local Boston Pioneers Academy received toy bank support over Christmas, with each receiving at least three gifts. Jo Bland, headteacher of the academy, said: “It’s emotional and heart warming to see the tears in parent’s eyes when they receive presents for their children because it relieves a massive pressure from them.”
Lincoln County Hospital’s Hygiene Hub, which provides toiletries to long-term neurology patients, also received donations from the campaign. Laura Whitworth, Staff Nurse, said: “We all take toiletries for granted every day, but they are vital for not only our patients’ hygiene but also their motivation to participate in rehabilitation. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Hygiene Hub, you’ve completely transformed the care for Ashby Ward patients.
Danielle Lowther, senior community co-ordinator at the co-op, said: “The campaign means so much to Lincolnshire Co-op and the charities we support. We hope that with initiatives like Secret Santa, we can inspire the joy of donating not only during Christmas but all year round.”
