Human Rights Commission’s Christmas Tree initiative returns to the Arts and Crafts Centre as numbers rise.
The familiar Christmas tree is back in the window of the St. Helena Arts and Crafts Centre in the Canister, and it carries the hopes of many children and families on St Helena. The tree is the heart of the annual Christmas Tree Initiative, a simple way for our St Helena community to ensure every child has a gift to open on Christmas morning.
The project, now in its fourth year, run by the St. Helena Equality and Human Rights Commission. Speaking on a recent radio discussion, Commission CEO Catherine Turner highlighted the importance of the initiative while also marking a significant milestone for the organisation 10 years of operation and service to St Helena.
The need is growing and while the initiative is a heartwarming tradition, the need it serves is growing. Catherine revealed that the number of children requiring support is increasing as families face financial pressures. “Last year we helped around 95 children, but it was certainly in the 90s,” Catherine said. “The year before that it was about 60, so it’s climbing.”
She explained that many families are struggling, and the project aims to support children who “perhaps wouldn’t have as good a Christmas as some of us.” The Commission receives requests for items that many take for granted. “Most of the time, it is small gifts like art materials or pens or colouring books,” she shared. “Sometimes it’s school trousers or school shoes… that the parents just can’t afford.”
How You Can Help?
The process for contributing is designed to be simple, anonymous, and focused on dignity.
- Visit the Tree: Stop by the Arts and Crafts Centre and look at the tree in the window.
- Pick a Tag: The tree is decorated with tags, each representing a child. The tags are simple (e.g., “Boy age 5” or “Girl age 10”). Some tags may include a small hint, like “likes dinosaurs” or “likes trucks,” but these are not compulsory.
- Buy a Gift: Purchase a gift suitable for the child on your tag. Caterine emphasised there is “its not compulsory to spend any particular amount of money.”
- Drop it Off: Return the gift to the Arts and Crafts Centre. You can wrap it yourself, or the Commission team will happily wrap it for you.
Once the gift is returned, the commission team matches it to their confidential list, which has the child’s name. A new tag “and love from Santa” is attached, and the gift is delivered in time for Christmas.
“It’s about just making sure those kids have got something.”
How to Get Involved?
The Commission is encouraging everyone who can to take part.
This simple act of kindness “will just… put a smile on the face of a child.”
Furthermore, if you know of a child or family who might be struggling and could benefit from the initiative, you are encouraged to contact the Commission directly.
“If anybody knows or is concerned about a child,” Catherine urged, “you can phone us at the office on +290 22133
Give us the name, if they’re not on our list, we’ll add them.”
St Helena Online urges anyone who don’t live on St Helena but would like to donate in any way at all and would put smiles on the faces of these St Helena Children are urged to reach out catherine@humanrightssthelena.org
To hear the full, interesting discussion with Catherine Turner about the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Commission, its many achievements, and more details on the Christmas Tree initiative, you are encouraged to listen to the discussion, previously aired on local radio, can do so below or head over the listen again page.