MANY parents have spoken about their struggles whole home-schooling their children in the third lockdown. Parents in all over the UK have become teachers at home, trying to create a routine for young people missing out on their traditional education. Schools in East Lancashire have given parents study packs and online learning resources to do at home, but not every parent is managing to get all the work done every day. Kirsty Jane from Hyndburn said: “I think the schools are expecting too much from us. The school our children attend anyway. “As a family of six with a baby, university life and other things going on, it’s definitely taking its toll. The children can only do so much and with the time we have, yet the school say ALL work MUST be done.”
THE Secret Santa appeal hit its Christmas present target of 7,000 gifts thanks to the generosity of people across Blackburn with Darwen. Reaching this goal meant that 1,000 children across the borough woke up yesterday morning with a “red sack of joy”, each containing seven gifts. Company directors Phil and Karen Boulding are thanking every person who helped or donated to the appeal which saw needy families wake up with smiles on their face on Christmas morning. Managing director of Secret Santa, Phil, said “We thought Covid-19 had stolen Christmas from us. “How could we possibly pull together 7,000 toys to go into our 1,000 sacks when with seven weeks to go to Christmas when we had to close our shop for four of them?
THE Secret Santa appeal hit its Christmas present target of 7,000 gifts thanks to the generosity of people across Blackburn with Darwen. Reaching this goal meant that 1,000 children across the borough woke up yesterday morning with a “red sack of joy”, each containing seven gifts. Company directors Phil and Karen Boulding are thanking every person who helped or donated to the appeal which saw needy families wake up with smiles on their face on Christmas morning. Managing director of Secret Santa, Phil, said “We thought Covid-19 had stolen Christmas from us. “How could we possibly pull together 7,000 toys to go into our 1,000 sacks when with seven weeks to go to Christmas when we had to close our shop for four of them?
CHRISTMAS is a time for laughter, joy and peace, which is more important than ever after this year, but for some, this festive season will instead be filled with loneliness, anxiety and financial struggles. The town of Blackburn has been hard hit by Covid-19, with many areas having been under some form of restrictions for most of the year. This has added more struggles for those who have found themselves unemployed, struggling to make ends meet and some people even finding themselves homeless, meaning charities and not-for-profit companies like Nightsafe and Secret Santa CIC have had to adapt how they work to continue helping those in need who are struggling more than ever this year.