Oldham Athletic

Oldham Athletic have once again launched their Christmas toy and food bank appeal and are asking everyone to get involved this festive season.

Each year, members of the first-team squad and mascot Chaddy the Owl go to the Royal Oldham Hospital to visit children who are not fortunate enough to spend the festive period at home. 

The Toy Appeal is always a huge success which means we are able to donate gifts not only to the Children’s ward but also take some gifts up to Francis’ House, a local hospice that provides necessary care for children and young people with life threatening conditions.

Many families in the Oldham Borough now depend on the generosity of others through Oldham food bank and this need is always strong at this time of year.

With this in mind, we are asking everyone going Christmas shopping to buy an extra present or some extra food and drop it off at one of the official drop off points listed below:

Toys and gifts are needed for boys and girls aged 0-16 years. Please bring them unwrapped so they can be sorted into the appropriate age and gender categories. It will also test the players’ and management’s skills as they are being drafted in to help with the wrapping!

Urgently needed food items include:- UHT milk, sugar, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, tinned rice pudding, tinned tomatoes and toiletries, anything at all really except fresh produce.

Athletic corporate events manager, Jenny Warburton, has been involved with the Christmas visit for the past five years and is always overwhelmed at the generosity of the local community. 

She said: “Christmas should be a time for celebration and spending precious time with family. For many, this isn’t always possible and if we can help to spread just a little Christmas cheer to others, then that’s we aim to do. 

"The hospital visits are always wonderfully chaotic trying to organise the gifts and players but the children really seem to enjoy it as do their families. The staff at both the hospital and at the hospice do amazing jobs and we just want to help in any way that we can.

“The players love this visit, especially those with children as they are able to relate to the families, they love being able to give a little bit of Christmas cheer to the kids. 

“I am so grateful to everyone who donates each year and hopefully we can make this year’s appeal our most successful one yet.”

Wendy Noble of the Community Trust said: “ We would like your support to help local families in crisis this Christmas by donating food, your kind donation could really help those less fortunate.

 

“Thank you in advance to everyone who will donate food your compassion and support means that people in Oldham unable to afford food after being hit by something like redundancy, illness or a delay in benefits have something.”

Please ensure that gifts and food items are received by Monday, December 12 in order for us to organise the donations in preparation for the visits. Anything that will help to give those less fortunate a better Christmas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.