The donations from Eastgate.
STANHOPE-based charity 123 Help 4Family’s is preparing for another busy time as the festive season approaches.
Founded six years ago by Stanhope businessman, Shaun Emerson, and his Godmother, Linda Mears, it aims to give families who cannot afford to celebrate, a Christmas to remember. Low paid working families, terminally ill parents and children, ex and serving military, lonely elderly, Shaun and his small band of volunteers are already working every minute they can spare preparing.
Although they operate all through the year their Christmas appeal is a huge task and relies a lot on individual or business donations. Unlike any other charity, they ensure a family or individual will enjoy Christmas: they provide everything they need for Christmas dinner, presents for all – they aim for four to five presents for children and two to three for parents – as well as a treat bag, biscuits, crackers etc as well as a cupboard food hamper – and a toiletry bag.
The charity aims to make a difference and a Christmas to remember especially for the terminally ill or poorly.
Donations still needed include new toys, gift sets, pyjamas, chocolates, sweets, hats and gloves for all ages, tinned food, cereals, rice, pasta and longlife food. You can also sponsor a Christmas dinner for only £5 per person so for £20 you can feed a family at Christmas because the charity buys in bulk.
The families Shaun and his family and team help are not easy to find and usually become apparent by recommendation. They are families who have very little but keep quiet about it and do not ask for help for themselves. Some don’t even realise they need help and simply struggle through every day.
They also work with and support the children safe-guarding team based in Crook. Many social workers and carers recommend families to the charity for help too at Christmas. These are families who don’t have large, smart TVs or expensive mobile phones but who struggle through every day life to just make ends meet.
Most of the families are not on benefits, apart from occasional top ups or PIP payments and could be a single parent working in a low-paid job while trying to look after the children. They could be single – a pensioner, for example – who is choosing between eating and heating. Perhaps a two-parent family with two jobs but who still find it difficult to pay the rent.
And the one thing they have in common is they are local to Weardale.
“We see so much poverty and even distress,” said Shaun. “We know how lucky we are not to be in the same position and we just want to help as a family, as a team.
Every year, the list of families in need becomes longer and every year, the Weardale people step up to help out. The Team is out and about now, collecting donations. These recently included an absolutely huge collection from Gaynor Irwin at The Cross Keys in Eastgate, donated by villagers as well as herself and her staff. Gaynor is renowned for donating to good causes, especially when it involves children.
Shaun is always amazed at what she comes up with. “I called her Miss Christmas,” he said. “But now I call her Miss Miracle. For one of the tiniest villages in the country, they manage to donate so much, it always amazes me.
“Eastgate is the little village with a huge heart.”
Shaun and Linda founded the charity six years ago and named it after his business – 123 Clearance – and it has grown so large that he has a huge space in Stanhope where all the donations are kept.
His hardy and loyal band of volunteers, which includes most members of his large family, work all hours wrapping presents, filling bags galore of everything a family would ever need for the Christmas period – including all foodstuffs and personalised Christmas presents for each family member and their pets!
They also opened a charity shop in Crook’s Hope Street where volunteers run it six days a week. It opens at 10am with a shop literally bursting with second-hand and vintage bargains.
This year will be Linda Mears’ last as she has decided to retire due to ill health, mentally she desperately wants to continue but unfortunately physically she isn’t able to.
Linda has done charity work all her life and raised many thousands of pounds over the years for many good causes. She spent Stanhope Show week baking, cooking, wrapping presents and sticking tombola tickets on prizes, raising money for 123 Help4familys and then worked on the stall all weekend.
And from then until Christmas Eve, she will be working as hard as anyone. On behalf of all the families you have helped over many years, thank you, Linda. You deserve a medal as big as a frying pan. Enjoy the rest.
Shaun added, “I don’t know what we will do without Linda, she has always helped me – and many others – whenever it was needed, she has been through so much herself without complaint but kept strong and she absolutely loves this cause.
“But all good things come to an end and she deserves a break and I wish her all the very best in her retirement and thank her from the bottom of my heart for all her help and support over the years. She is an amazing lady. Thanks Linda.”
If you would like to donate, contact or the Facebook page.
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/1gZT6BVrLP/ Email
Bank details are 123help4familys cic Sort code 089299 Account number: 67270446
The big day rapidly approaches and there is so much work left to do. Shaun would appreciate your help if you would like to be part of this charity, especially volunteer delivery drivers around the 20th to the 23rd December.
Please contact Shaun if you can help.
The wrapping is already underway with a lot more work yet to do.
