Arthur Rank Hospice - and the Charity’s mascot, Arthur Bear - are teaming up with the North Pole to bring the magic of Christmas to Cambridgeshire this December with ‘Letters from Santa’. The Charity is taking applications for personalised letters, which will then be sent from Santa directly to the special little people in your life between Saturday 1 and Tuesday 18 December.
Amy, mum of Joseph (then 7 years old) and Caoimhe (then 5 years old), who were lucky enough to receive a personalised letter last year, said:
“My kids loved receiving their personalised letters from Santa; it really added to the magic of Christmas last year and they couldn’t wait for Christmas Day to arrive!”
The parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbours, and friends of children who would enjoy the extra excitement of receiving a letter from Santa Claus are invited to send in their applications to the Hospice between now and 16 December. Arthur Bear will then make sure your letter requests reach Santa and his elves in time for the big day. To register, fill out the simple form at www.arhc.org.uk/santaletters or phone the Hospice’s fundraising team on 01223 675888.
A letter from Santa is the gift which gives back in the true spirit of Christmas: as well making a special time of year all the more enchanting, you will be helping support the Hospice’s vital fundraising efforts. The Charity needs to secure £8.1 million every year to deliver its essential services free of charge to patients and their loved ones. A small donation of £5, £10, or £15 is suggested: this will not only help cover letter administration and postage costs (and the cost of mince pies to keep Santa and his elves going!) but it will help raise vital funds for the Hospice. £10 could fund a Christmas present for a patient, £15 could help fund a Christmas craft session in Day Therapy, or £20 could fund a Christmas meal for 5 patients.
Aisha Graves, Community Fundraiser, who is helping support Arthur Bear in his seasonal partnership with Santa in the North Pole, adds:
“Arthur Bear and I are delighted that we’ve been able to continue our Letters from Santa scheme for another year. A big thank you must go to Santa and his elves, who have agreed to find time within their busy toy-making schedule, to work with us on our special personalised letters to the lucky children of Cambridgeshire. When they heard how the donations for ‘Letters from Santa’ would help support the Hospice, they were delighted to help. They – and we - are looking forward to making lots of children feel very special this Christmas.”
Arthur Bear has a few extra requests. Please ensure your letter request arrives at the Hospice before 16 December so that he can get it to Santa in good time; be sure to get ages correct (between 1 and 18 December); bear in mind that the dates for ‘Letters from Santa’ have been guided by the current Royal Mail recommendations for Christmas post, but that once Santa has posted them we are unable to take responsibility for any delays in delivery.
If you have any queries about the scheme, please contact Arthur Rank Hospice’s fundraising office on 01223 675888.