Christmas appeal - unwanted gifts for survivors of torture

 Dear Harringay friends and neighbours

With Christmas fast approaching, do you have any unwanted gifts or other good-as-new items that could be given to some of London’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged men, women and children?

I work for local charity  Freedom from Torture – we provide rehabilitative treatment for torture survivors in the UK, as well as providing legal advice and campaigning for the human rights of survivors. Our clients have fled to safety in the UK from many countries, including Sri Lanka, Iran, Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey and Afghanistan. Many of them are destitute or living in extreme poverty.

Here is a link to the story of one of our client families: Freedom from Torture

Each Christmas, some of the staff here try to put together enough gifts so that each of our clients can receive a small treat, and know that someone is thinking of them. We don’t have any funding for this, so we are reliant on the kindness of those who can donate items that could be wrapped as a Christmas gift.

If you do have any unwanted items/gifts (children’s toys/books, clothes for all ages, toiletries, sweets etc), please could you drop them off at our offices at 111 Isledon Road N7 7JW between 8.30 and 18.00, Monday to Friday. We are 10 minutes walk from Finsbury Park station, opposite the Sobell Centre.

I’d also like to say a massive THANK YOU to all of the very generous people who donated last year. Everything that you donated was given to one of our clients, and everyone here, clients, volunteers and staff alike, are very grateful for your kindness.

Thank you