Who Cares? Scotland are granting Christmas wishes
A Scottish charity is granting wishes to care experienced people this Christmas.
Who Cares? Scotland, is ensuring that Christmas isn’t anything less than the best for care experienced people by granting their wishes over the festive season.
Since 2014, the charity has held a Care Family Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day for care experienced people around the country. However, the impact of the pandemic meant that last year it was unable to host the annual event and instead provided the opportunity for care experienced people, those who are or have been in care such as children’s homes, foster care, kinship care or looked after at home, to make a wish. More than 250 wishes were granted and 2,000 festive parcels were delivered to its members.
Building on what was started last year, its Winter Wishes campaign will give care experienced people the opportunity to again make a wish for something special for them. It also includes the choice to have a Hello Fresh box delivered, a Just Eat voucher and money to cover utilities added to their wish.
Louise Hunter, chief executive at Who Cares? Scotland, said: “Everyone deserves to feel the warmth and joy the festive season brings, regardless of if they celebrate Christmas or not. We know that for many care experienced people that this time of year can be a challenging time due to lack of family relationships and support services closing for Christmas.
“That is why we want to reach as many care experienced people as possible this year with our Winter Wishes campaign to let them know we’re still here and to give them something special.
“Making these wishes a reality is only possible thanks to support of our amazing volunteers and donors. They will help make sure a care experienced person can enjoy a fresh meal this festive period, that they can give or receive a gift and will make sure hundreds of young people have something to look forward to after over 20 months of isolation.”
Fighting for a lifetime of equality, respect and love for all care experienced people, Who Cares? Scotland provide individual relationship based independent advocacy and a range of connection and participation opportunities for care experienced people all year round. It does this by creating spaces for them to feel like they belong and are part of a community.
Megan Moffat, a care experienced person and vice chair of Who Cares? Scotland, said: “Christmas is about belonging, love and community, I know I’m lucky to have my family now but for a long time I didn’t. Thankfully, Who Cares? Scotland has been the family for me, and many other care experienced people, during this time. This year, it’s going to be slightly different until we can safely come together in person. But that doesn’t mean it has to be anything less for care experienced people.
“There would be no Christmas for us without the generosity of those who donate and volunteer to make sure Who Cares? Scotland can be there for the care experienced community every winter, and all year round.”
Find out more on the charity's website.
