Students Seek Donations for Ukraine This Christmas

Secondary students at St George’s International School are asking for donations to help them provide gifts for Ukrainian refugee children this Christmas.

Through their Christmas Present Appeal, the students aim to give a gift to each child at the Red Cross Centre in Kirchberg. They are asking the community to donate new toys and games suitable for children aged 4 to 12 years, or for financial contributions that can be used to buy vouchers for teenagers.

St George’s Community Head Girl Mathilda M. said there were currently around 60 children at the refugee centre with more arriving every week. “Your contributions will be invaluable in helping us guarantee that every child receives a present this Christmas. We are appealing to the community to help us make their Christmas a bit brighter,” Mathilda said.

The students have been volunteering at the refugee centre, working with children of all ages. “We are currently working on multiple projects, such as running craft sessions for the children. Last weekend, five of us went to the refugee centre to make decorations including snowflakes, baubles and paper chains in preparation for Christmas.

“We will be doing these types of activities once a week until Christmas. Our aim is to make enough handmade decorations to put on a Christmas tree that we have provided through teachers’ donations.”

St George’s Director of Key Stage 5, Sarah Roe, said the school’s Community Leaders had given up their time to ensure that those less fortunate were not forgotten. “I am extremely proud of our school’s ambassadors, led very capably by Heads Mathilda and Flavio, who have reached out to the community and embraced every aspect of their role,” Mrs Roe said.

There are three ways to support the appeal:

• Donate a new toy or game suitable for a child aged 4-12 years. Please label the gift with the age range and its contents, and drop it off at St George’s International School in Hamm. Please choose a gift that does not require knowledge of foreign languages as the recipient may only speak Ukrainian
• Make a cash donation at St George’s
• Donate online here Please make any donations by 9 December to allow time for purchasing, wrapping and delivery of the gifts to the children. All donations, large or small, are greatly appreciated.