Evolve Trust is a local trust committed to providing the best possible opportunities for the local people of Mansfield and the surrounding areas. Like other schools across the country, they are working hard to support the ever-increasing families hard hit financially from this pandemic.
2020 Christmas was very different to say the least for everyone. But for many families, the financial effect placed upon them due to COVID meant there wasn’t much to look forward to on Christmas morning.
Teachers and support workers within the Evolve Trust wanted to do something that would brighten up the 2020 Christmas for their vulnerable families within their group of schools.
With a desire to positively impact the young children in their schools, they reached out to their supply chain and board of trustees to help gather gifts that could form unique hampers for 50 families identified as vulnerable.
Ian Jephsons, Director, Jephsons Shopfitters based in Mansfield, serves as a valued trustee for the Evolve Trust since 2017 and is always keen to support community initiatives, particularly those initiatives that will directly impact young people in Mansfield.
When Ian heard of the Christmas hamper initiative, he reached out to Mansfield Football Club for season tickets to give to 50 of the vulnerable families. Ian comments: ‘Stags season tickets gives families an event to look forward to and an experience they may not otherwise be able to encounter.
COVID has hit so many families, and this is just something small that we can donate as a business community to make a difference.
Jephsons Shopfitters were among other Mansfield businesses who contributed to the Christmas hampers filled with toys, vouchers, chocolates and food.
The Christmas hampers are just a small part of the community initiatives made by The Evolve Trust. Other initiatives include food hampers. Most recently, the trust transformed an out of use meeting room and converted it to a charity shop exclusively available to families part of the trust to shop for clothes, toys and other essentials currently not available due to the closure of charity shops.
Ian Jephsons shared: ‘It’s great to see the trust consistently react to the circumstances COVID continues to put upon us. We are in a reactive period of time. The Evolve Trust is working closely with the community and doing everything in their control to create positive influences that will nurture our young people during this challenging time.
For anyone wishing to make any donations, please contact Dawn on [email protected]