Fleetwood GP practices donate more than 100 advent calendars to local food bank

More than 100 children in Fleetwood will have a sweeter Christmas thanks to the kind-hearted GP practices in the town.

The Fleetwood Primary Care Network (PCN) – a partnership of the three GP practices in the town – has donated more than 100 advent calendars to the local food bank.

It comes after the Network donated almost 300 Easter eggs earlier this year.

Jordana Collinge, PCN care home coordinator and social prescriber, said she thought it was important to make sure children were able to enjoy a treat at this time of year.

She said: “We did this at Easter after I found out the food bank is only allowed to purchase necessities with its funding, which doesn’t allow for treats. But treats matter so much to children.

“So from then on I knew I wanted to do something at Christmas, especially with the cost of living crisis hitting hard, especially in towns like ours.

“An advent calendar might only be the tiniest drop in the ocean compared to the people needing actual food to get by, but the small things are so important to young children and it might just help shield them from some of the financial hardship at home.

“I have some money left over so will be buying stocking fillers and selection boxes so families using the food bank over Christmas will be able to pick up a little something to put under the tree on Christmas morning.

“We have a great network of generous staff here in Fleetwood and with the same mindset of wanting to help the local community.”

The Fleetwood Primary Care Network is the partnership of Broadway Medical Centre, Fleetwood Surgery and The Mountview Practice, which brings the practices together to support local people in a collaborative way.

More than 100 children in Fleetwood will have a sweeter Christmas thanks to the kind-hearted GP practices in the town.

The Fleetwood Primary Care Network (PCN) – a partnership of the three GP practices in the town – has donated more than 100 advent calendars to the local food bank.

It comes after the Network donated almost 300 Easter eggs earlier this year.

Jordana Collinge, PCN care home coordinator and social prescriber, said she thought it was important to make sure children were able to enjoy a treat at this time of year.

She said: “We did this at Easter after I found out the food bank is only allowed to purchase necessities with its funding, which doesn’t allow for treats. But treats matter so much to children.

“So from then on I knew I wanted to do something at Christmas, especially with the cost of living crisis hitting hard, especially in towns like ours.

“An advent calendar might only be the tiniest drop in the ocean compared to the people needing actual food to get by, but the small things are so important to young children and it might just help shield them from some of the financial hardship at home.

“I have some money left over so will be buying stocking fillers and selection boxes so families using the food bank over Christmas will be able to pick up a little something to put under the tree on Christmas morning.

“We have a great network of generous staff here in Fleetwood and with the same mindset of wanting to help the local community.”

The Fleetwood Primary Care Network is the partnership of Broadway Medical Centre, Fleetwood Surgery and The Mountview Practice, which brings the practices together to support local people in a collaborative way.