Wimbledon Foundation gets festive in Merton and Wandsworth
The Wimbledon Foundation has played an active role in what has been a busy Christmas season for Merton and Wandsworth. Wimbledon.com reports...
The third annual Southfields Christmas lights switch-on, sponsored by the Wimbledon Foundation and the Southfields Business Association, took place with great gusto in early December. Over 200 local residents braved the cold, damp weather to enjoy mince pies and mulled wine served by local businesses and carols sung by Sheringdale and St Michael’s primary schools as Wimbledon Foundation & Community Manager Helen Parker performed the honour of turning on the lights.
The Wimbledon Foundation was also delighted to host the Merton Foster Carers Christmas Party at the AELTC, providing a Christmas celebration for vulnerable young people and their foster carers across the London Borough of Merton.
Together with FMC, official caterers at The Championships, the Wimbledon Foundation has been able to assist three local charities with donations of food. Items have been delivered to the Wimbledon Food Bank in Pollards Hill, the Klevis Kola Foundation in Tooting who support refugee and asylum seeking families across the London Borough of Wandsworth, and The Vine Project which offers training and employment opportunities to local people to refurbish unwanted furniture which in turn is donated to low income residents in Merton.
Monica Tyler at The Vine Project explained “We have around forty volunteers here each day because for many, The Vine Project is a place of refuge from tough circumstances. We provide tea and coffee and where possible food as well as training so that they can access paid work. Each year at our Christmas party we provide gifts of donated items to our volunteers and so the Wimbledon Foundation and FMC’s donations will make a real difference in our volunteers’ lives.”
“Supporting our local communities in the London Boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth is one of the principal objectives of the Wimbledon Foundation so we are pleased to have been able to use the resources we have to support local people in a variety of ways this Christmas,” commented Helen Parker on a successful Christmas period.
