Winchester: the City Council with a big heart
As a local authority, Winchester City Council works throughout the year to support voluntary and community organisations that make life in the district brighter, happier and more manageable.
At Christmas, staff and councillors are always keen to do a little bit more – and 2016 has been no exception.
This week saw the handing over of food and soft drinks collected from staff and customers to support The Vineyard Church’s Christmas hamper scheme.
The Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Jane Rutter, joined staff at the festively-decorated Tourist Information Centre on the Broadway, to see three bulging boxes of goodies that had been donated ready to be packaged up by the Church and distributed to those in the area who might otherwise not have much of a Christmas day in store.
A parallel collection continues in the staff canteen continues, with toys and gifts being donated for a campaign run by Scratch Southampton called ‘Christmas Complete’. This provides toys and gifts for children and young people who otherwise might go without presents, and has prompted a generous response from Council workers.
Meanwhile, an initiative that enables staff and councillors to make a cash contribution to good causes instead of sending out Christmas cards to colleagues, is under way. In its first week generated around £1,500 which will be divided this year between The Firefighter’s Charity, Hounds for Heroes, Re-Cycle and Mayfield Nurseries.
Shoppers and workers may have caught The Council Carollers at pitches ranging from the Buttercross Christmas tree and Winchester Station to the Wickham Lights Switch-On and Whiteley Shopping. The scratch choir, which includes the Mayor of Winchester and the City Centre Chaplain, decided that they wanted the opportunity to sing more Christmas songs this year whilst raising money for the Mayor of Winchester’s Charities.
Cllr Steve Miller, Portfolio Holder for Economy and Estates, said:
We are currently in the middle of our annual grants cycle, allocating nearly £800,000 to local voluntary and community groups. We also provide advice, training and practical support throughout the year for all kinds of charitable organisations ranging from sports clubs and theatres to social care groups who are reaching out to the most vulnerable residents in our district. This is a Council which respects and values the work of the voluntary sector – and whose staff and members really care about making a difference where it is most needed.
Cllr James Byrnes, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Professional Services, added:
Our staff are encouraged to get involved with good causes throughout the year, through the active promotion of the Council’s volunteering leave scheme and initiatives such as National Volunteer Week. Many also have long-standing commitments to charities, schools or other organisations in their leisure time. In the run-up to Christmas, staff and councillors are keen to go the extra mile with a big smile and a heart full of Christmas cheer.