College learners deliver joy as part of Dunelm Christmas appeal

 Learners from Stoke on Trent College have raised almost £400 for the Dunelm ‘Delivering Joy’ Christmas Parcel appeal.

The learners have worked together to find innovative fundraising ideas and have sold raffle tickets across both college campuses; with donated prizes including a Ring indoor camera, love2shop voucher, 2 tickets for Stoke City FC, 4 tickets for Waterworld, 2 tickets for Mini Golf Adventure Land and a Christmas chocolate hamper.

As part of the fundraising activity, the college netball team also competed in a staff vs students Netball game at the Cauldon campus’ Sports Academy on Thursday 5 December. The match was highly competitive and saw the staff team triumph 10-9.

Olivia Brookes, Level 3 Sports Student and college netball Captain, who helped organise the appeal and the netball game said:

“Netball is an enrichment where all of us come together and have fun. The staff vs student game is always a great laugh and extra amazing as we do it for charity. As soon as we heard the date for the game, the team decided on the Dunelm ‘Delivering Joy’ Christmas appeal.

“As a team, we decided this would be a special one for this time of year. Over the past couple of years, many individuals and families have struggled with the cost-of-living crisis, so raising money and buying what they have asked for from the Dunelm Christmas tree gift tags, makes us as a team all the more determined to try our best to raise the money needed to give them a magical Christmas.”

The money raised has been used to buy gifts that have been added to Dunelm’s Christmas tree at their branch on Victoria Road in Fenton. The gifts will be distributed to those who are less fortunate in the run up to the festive period.

Rachel Jones, Manager at Dunelm Fenton said:

“We would just like to thank all of the students and staff for the amazing efforts they have gone to and imaginative ways they have come up with to raise the amount of money they have.

“The donations will make a huge difference to so many who are struggling not only at this time of year but throughout the year with the cost of living crisis, and also animals shelters who struggling with in the same way.  All the donations will really help make it a Christmas for them to remember and make it that little special for them all.”

Antoinette Lythgoe, Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Stoke on Trent College is delighted to support the Dunelm ‘Delivering Joy’ Christmas Parcel Appeal. Our learners have led on this initiative and have fully embraced all the fundraising activity, including sourcing raffle prizes and selling tickets across both campuses, organising the netball game between staff and students and purchasing the gifts, ensuring their safe delivery to Dunelm ready for distribution”