Shilbottle girl’s Christmas initiative continues to help children across Northumberland
An initiative started by a Shilbottle girl six years ago is helping dozens of families this Christmas as demand for support continues to grow.
In 2020, Ashleigh Duke, her husband Benjamin and their six-year-old daughter Scarlett, founded Scarlett’s Helping Hand as a way to help families struggling to afford Christmas after lockdown.
Since then, they have distributed thousands of donations such as Christmas gifts, emergency food parcels, baby items and household essential – and this year is no exception.
Ashleigh said: "We started back in 2020 with Covid. Me and my daughter Scarlett collected Christmas presents to give to charity and we got so much stuff, we thought, ‘well, we can do this all the time.’
"It’s made possible thanks to the communities support and so many more local businesses have also got involved supporting us this year.”
The family are passed on gift requests, named ‘angels’, from the social services for vulnerable children across Northumberland who otherwise may not receive Christmas presents.
These are placed on an Amazon wish list and the family also collect toy donations from various drop-off points across the county.
"We're up to 47 angels right now,” Ashleigh added. "We had a cut-off date of the first of November, but people are still messaging and I can't say no."
Among the local businesses supporting the initiative is Bex Hair and Beauty Boutique in Alnwick who raised over £2000 at their 13th birthday charity event.
ABC Cleaning Services added £1000 donation to that bringing the total amount raised to £3000.
"It's very much donation-based at the minute,” Ashleigh added. “We would like to eventually register as a charity as grants don't come easy.”
Earlier this year, the initiative was awarded Alnwick Town Council Mayor’s Civic Award which Scarlett, now 12, was over the moon to receive.
"It was nice because it's kind of just been steady, but then this year seems to have snowballed and people have recognised us,” Ashleigh added.
A charity coach trip to Harrogate Christmas market on the December 6 with Hays Travel Alnwick will also support the initiative.
More information, a list of drop off points and how to donate can be found on the Scarlett’s Helping Hand Facebook page.