Dronfield Eye Issue 213 September 2023

Could you help festive appeal?
Local people are invited to help a
project which sends Christmas gifts
to children with a parent in prison
M
EMBERS of Dronfield Baptist Church
and their families and friends have
been involved with the worldwide Angel Tree
programme, run by the Prison Fellowship
charity, since 2010. Around 1,300 presents
have been donated to date with the help of
local supporters.
Angel Tree was founded by the late Mary Kay
Beard, at one time a criminal on the FBI’s Ten
Most Wanted list but who, on release from prison,
set up the programme aimed at helping prisoners
maintain contact with their families and showing
children they are not forgotten.
One father in prison wrote to thank local
supporters directly, telling them that his children
had been “extra happy” to know their dad hadn’t
forgotten them.
“It means the world to us inmates. Thank you
with all my heart,” he wrote.
A carer at home, from another family, wrote:
Volunteers wrap Angel Tree gifts for children
“My little girl loved the gift that she was sent.
Thank you so much for helping to keep the
connection between her and her Dad.”
A spin-off of the scheme is that maintaining
contact with families helps to reduce reoffending.
Church member Linda Brennan, who coordinates
Angel Tree in this area, explained that
Dronfield Baptist Church first got involved by
teaming up with a group near Huddersfield,
sending about a dozen gifts.
Linda said: “We helped that group for another
year and then for Christmas 2012 we started our
own group. That year we sent out 48 gifts. The
number has risen year on year, and for Christmas
2022 240 gifts were sent out for children ranging
from just a few weeks old up to 17 years.
“Officially, Angel Tree
sends gifts for children up
to 16 but if there is a
slightly older child still
living at home we include
them.
“Of these 240 gifts, 84
were purchased by
members and friends of
Dronfield Baptist Church for
specific children. The rest
were purchased using funds
raised throughout the year.
“On top of purchasing the
gifts, around £15 each, other
expenses are wrapping and
packaging materials and
also postage – last year that
came to just over £500.”
How does Angel Tree
work, exactly?
Around the beginning of
September, application
forms are sent out to the
Some of the gifts destined to children of prisoners
dronfield EYE
three prisons Dronfield Baptist Church has
contact with.
The men - in the local church’s case - fill in
the applications that are then checked to
ensure they are allowed contact with their
children.
Linda said: “The forms give us the name, ages
and interests of the children so an appropriate
gift can be sent.
“At the bottom of the forms are gift tags for the
guys to write a personal message to their
children.
“We also like to send an age-appropriate
Christian book separate from the actual gift.
Parents can indicate if they don’t wish for this to
happen.
“A grand wrapping and
packing day is usually held
on the first Saturday in
December, giving time to get
the gifts out to the children’s
addresses in plenty of time
for Christmas.
“Each prisoner is sent a
hand-written Christmas
card with a note informing
them of the gift sent to their
child.”
• The next main Angel
Tree fund-raising event
is a Craft Fair on
Saturday, 30th
September, at Dronfield
Baptist Church.
For more information
or to help, contact Linda
at Linda@lindabrennan
.co.uk
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