A record 150 disadvantaged Teessiders enjoyed tidings of comfort and joy when Stockton charity The Moses Project served up Christmas Day dinner, presents and entertainment with the backing of our kind-hearted supporters.
The Moses Project helps Stockton’s growing homeless community and people suffering from a variety of issues including addiction and poverty at its Alma Street headquarters.
The group welcomed guests suffering hardship for Christmas Day dinner including those who use the project during the week, lonely elderly people who have been referred by the local council and several disadvantaged families.
And it was a real festive occasion thanks to the generosity of Teesside Philanthropic Foundation’s patrons.
We donated £1,500 for the fifth successive year to the Moses Project to cover Christmas Day celebration running costs, while our patrons Archers Law, Mandale and TBI donated 120 shoeboxes between them filled with winter essentials and gifts which were handed out on Christmas Day.
The Moses Project unwrapped some state-of-the-art new technology after personal patrons Ian and Adrienne Stark and Alisdair Beveridge from The Build Directory went above and beyond their patronage to help buy a range of entertainment equipment.
Their donations – along with Foundation money – bought a full tech set-up including a HD projector, 32 channel mixing console, 16 channel digital stage box and microphones, a laptop and speakers.
It enabled The Moses Project to play festive music, films and clips over the festive season while spreading anti-drug messages and words of hope, and will allow it to host DVD nights moving forward.
The Moses Project’s Christmas Day celebrations included Turkey dinner with pudding, crackers and hats, a Christmas carol singalong and a pantomime Cinderella & The Three Brians by Craig Heagney, along with a Father Christmas with toys and gifts for all.
And none of it would have been possible without the Philanthropic Foundation’s help, said Moses Project chairman Brian Jones.
“The Philanthropic Foundation are amazing to us every year – they are a major player in what we do at Christmas and without them I don’t think we would be able to go ahead,” he said.
“It’s not only gifts and money which they have provided us, their help has enabled us to make new business contacts and get new volunteers.
“The homeless problem in Stockton is getting worse and there is an abundance of people sofa-surfing and in poverty and addiction.
“To be able to give them some warmth and joy at Christmas is special, and we are doing our best to help them.”
The Moses Project had 20 active volunteers on Christmas Day, working in the kitchen, serving up teas and coffees, providing company and working in its main room and children’s room.
