LifeChurch Eccles have introduced a Christmas Angels scheme to help people within the Salford community this Christmas.
Derek Hughes, member of LifeChurch Eccles, is running the Christmas Angels event this year.
He said: “So, with Christmas coming up we were just thinking how we can serve the community and what could we do, because that is a really strong value for us.
“We thought the best way of working out what the community needs is for people in the community to tell you rather than just doing random things which might not be what people need.
“So that’s where the idea came from really. For people to suggest people they know that we could just bring a thoughtful touch to really.”
The scheme will work by nominating chosen people from the community who have been dealing with hardships over the past year.
Mr Hughes said: “We will come along with a surprise gift, and just turn up at their door and that will mean a lot to them really and hopefully just benefits everyone and will bring a bit of lightness and joy to everyone.
“It’s about trying to find ways that really matter and make a difference to people. I’ve always felt at Christmas time how do you really help those who need it.”
This is the first year the Christmas Angels event will run, the nomination form went live yesterday on the LifeChurch Eccles Facebook page. They have already received over seven applications.
Mr Hughes said: “I wasn’t sure whether the community would engage, we only went live with our form yesterday and we’ve already had about seven nominations already.
“You just read the little snippets and already its really emotional. People just say a little bit about the persons situation and you’re like wow that’s so powerful.”
LifeChurch, is based all around Greater Manchester, it aims to help the community in different ways and will provide thoughtful gifts to people who need it the most. It is independentaly ran by a group of volunteers from every community. LifeChurch currently has around 15 members who will go out and buy the gifts for all the nominations received.
Mr Hughes said: “We’re just a little small group that are connected to LifeChurch Manchester which is based in Sale.
“We are trying to branch out and do work in other parts of the city. There’s about 15 of us at the moment, who are part of LifeChurch Manchester, but we all live in Eccles.”
With applications already coming through Mr Hughes and his team are already planning for next year’s Christmas Angels.
“I thought if it works what we will do next year is we would say to the community does anyone want to be a Christmas Angel as well, it might not just be us who wants to buy the gifts, there might be loads of people who want to support the community at Christmas but might not know how to do it.
“We might be more of a catalyst for the community, so we would have people nominating and people buying the gifts as well.
“You can help more people and even those who are buying the gifts get really touched by it, so it’s a win win for everybody.”
The volunteers will be delivering all the gifts a few weeks before Christmas, they are aiming to buy presents for anybody who is nominated. The group are planning to be more involved within the community and are looking for new ways to make a difference.
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