Christmas is set to come early for a Bath-based charity that sends gifts to children and young people who are in hospital for their mental health over the festive period.
Volunteers at last year’s festive preparations | Photo © Christmas for CAMHS
Christmas For CAMHS is encouraging people to wear Christmas socks and host festive-themed fundraisers on Thursday 25th July for a celebration called “Christmas in July”.
Participants will host activities including Christmas lunches, karaoke parties, festive film marathons, seasonal bake sales and Christmas crafts and games.
Christmas for CAMHS sends gifts to children and young people in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) units across the UK, from London to Glasgow, over the festive season.
In 2023 they spread Christmas cheer by sending out 1,400 individual gifts, as well as advent calendars, decorations, activity kits, homemade cards and 134 ward gifts to CAMHS units.
This year the charity hopes to raise £8,000 to again send presents to children and young people struggling with mental illness. The gifts include toys, games, books, puzzles and pamper kits.
Christmas for CAMHS is encouraging everyone joining in the fundraising efforts to share pictures on social media, from Christmas sock selfies to Christmas dinners, using the hashtags #Xmas4CAMHS #ChristmasInJuly
Founder Dr Ro Bevan said: ‘Mental illness affects people of all ages, including children and young people.
“Many will spend Christmas in hospital, often far away from friends and family. Our gifts show children and young people that they are cared about, not forgotten, and can bring smiles to their faces even in hospital, over the festive season.
“We need people to help us spread this cheer by supporting our Christmas in July fundraisers.’
A young person who received one of the gifts at Christmas said: “It made me smile so much. I’d had such a bad day and it was an utterly terrifying time in my life.
“I was about to turn eighteen and had never felt more alone.
“It was so lovely to think that people who didn’t know me cared enough to make me and my friends feel special and connected.”
For more information on the charity, visit https://www.christmasforcamhs.org.uk.
To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/camhs-xmas or to buy a young person a Christmas gift on the charity’s wish list visit https://bit.ly/camhs-wishlist-2024.
