Tis always the Season of Goodwill
by Love Leigh Road, on , in News.
As we have passed through the season to be jolly, we reminded ourselves that it is also the season of good will to all men (and women), it is was the season of giving, and it was the season for loving thy neighbour. But here on the Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea we don’t feel that these things should be exclusive to one month of the year.
In fact, 2016 saw charitable events and actions happening throughout the year, by Miss Annabel Dee*, C J Vinten Goldsmiths, Curvature Boutique, Boni-Vee Ltd, Zabranos Wine and Tapas Bar, Pride and Glory Tattoo Studio, Space282, Oasis The Coffee House, Leigh Road Baptist Church, Groovy Baby, Howard Robinson Gallery/3, Vino Vero, Edge, Jim’s Joint and others, who prefer to keep quiet about their generosity.
The traders along the road have donated art, space within their venue, toys, stationary, clothes, water, raffle prizes, auction pieces and their time.
They have held events such as networking, auctions, burlesque evenings and exhibitions.
Leigh Road has also been a location for the lovely residents of Leigh-on-Sea to be able to donate food, Christmas shoeboxes full of toys, and bras.
The traders have also put themselves out by taking part in events such as Seafront strolls and climbing mountains, earning sponsorship for their charities along the way.
The money raised, so far, totals over £7,000, which doesn’t include money that they have spent out or donated themselves to raffles, organising events etc.
Recipients of such generosity have included (but are not limited to)
Southend hospitals oncology ward
Havens Hospice
Southend Hospital Charity
Going for Gold – Childhood cancer
Little Havens
Hatties Heroes
Macmillan
GOSH (Great Ormond Street)
Against Breast Cancer
Harp
Southend Food Bank
Operation Christmas Child
Love Calais providing shelter for refugees
Children who wouldn’t receive toys at Christmas (SOSDomestic Abuse, Children’s Centres’s, 8/10 Mums Giving Trees, Southend Toy Drive)
Shanty towns
The Southend Homeless
Those in Food Poverty across the Borough
RNLI
Chalkwell School Playground Equipment
Air Ambulance
In fact, it is still possible for the locals to take Part in 2017.
Oasis Coffee House are always accepting donations from the price of a cup of coffee, to a full meal, which are turned into vouchers, given to local charities, for people in poverty to go in and claim their food/drink. They also feed those in food poverty via this scheme at Oasis. http://www.lrbc.org.uk/suspendedmeals
They also accept donations for the Foodbank and HARP. These are all year round services.
Curvature Boutique accept old bra donations, these go out to Africa where they are re-used by women who can’t afford new ones, and Against Breast Cancer here in the UK get money for them. Any new (with tags) lingerie items are given to local women’s aid or homeless people. This is a year round service.
For more information, please speak to the establishments themselves.
By Kirsty McAspurn.