Father Christmas had a busy afternoon at the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust, in Manchester this weekend where he joined staff and volunteers for the charity’s annual Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December.
The national charity, which provides riding and therapy for children with disabilities and special needs using donkeys, decked their halls – and stables, provided Christmas donkey rides, stalls and a gift from Father Christmas.
Children were led on a donkey into the grotto to see Father Christmas before a party lunch was provided in the centre’s newly installed kitchen. The kitchen has recently been extended and fitted completely free of charge by local property repair and maintenance specialist City Response Ltd, following on from work done earlier in the year organised by Guinness Northern Counties.
Work is also underway on a new sensory room at the Trust which was also recently remodelled by City Response, along with extensive works by mechanical and electrical specialist Sure Group, and is due to be completed early in the new year.
Paul Williamson from City Response who supervised the job and has worked on it from day one along with apprentice joiner Kyle Adams, said: “I feel it has been a really worthwhile project and it has been a pleasure to work with the Trust. All the staff & volunteers have been a delight and there has been a pleasant atmosphere throughout.”
Staff from the maintenance company joined the festivities and even mucked in with the donkeys. Speaking at the event, Kevin Quinn from City Response, added: “It’s been great to see the facilities being used on such a big day and the difference they have made to the staff and children, I’d like to thank Howden’s, Warburton Associates, Amari Plastics and STMC Building Control for their valuable and welcome contributions to the work carried out here at the Trust. It’s a great feeling to be able to combine our skills and help such a great cause.”
Homemade cakes were on sale at the fair along with crafts, bring and buy gift stall and a tombola raising money for the centre.
The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust operates six centres across the country and also runs other mobile therapy sessions and learning events which are linked to specific school projects.
The Manchester centre alone has around 200 children a week through its doors from schools in the Greater Manchester area.
Mrs Debbie Coombes, Centre Manager, said: “Words can’t express how grateful we are that City Response have indeed responded!!. Although our old kitchen was inadequate there was no way for us to proceed with this work in the current economic climate and our funds under pressure. It is a dream come true for our children and parents as we were the only centre not to have a sensory room linking to our therapy programme. We also visit hospices, hospitals, nursing and residential homes providing donkey assisted therapy, with these visits often reciprocated and the new kitchen facilities will make these so much easier to manage.”
She added: “I can’t even try to single out individuals for thanks although obviously we got to know Paul and Kyle best – it was a huge team effort and a stroke of co-ordinating genius that the disruption to the provision of our therapy was minimal. Thanks so much everyone involved.”