The 'unseen' side of Christmas

The Salvation Army Red Shield by Fiona Lewis

Christmas in the eyes of so many people, both nationally and locally, is all about festive fun, a time for giving and receiving, catching up with family and friends, eating and drinking and then time to sit back and relax with a Christmas film.

The picture painted in your minds is bound to be a familiar one. Now it is boxing day and the thought of eating turkey and stuffing sandwiches isn’t as appealing as yesterday, the presents torn open and strewn across the living room floor are still there and even though so much money has already been spent – it is time to hit the sales, isn’t it?!

However, perhaps it is time to spare a thought (if you haven’t done so already) for those people who for one reason or another couldn’t be with their family, didn’t have a roaring fire to sit by, or a stack of presents to open.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild, spoke to charities across the borough to find out what they did on Christmas Day and to learn a little bit more about the often unseen side of Christmas.

The first port of call was the Salvation Army men’s hostel, at Providence House. The hostel sleeps 73 men and on Christmas Day all but four of the beds were filled with men from 18 years old and upwards who for one reason or another are homeless.

Alan Rodgerson from the Salvation Army explained that the hostel sees men with different types of needs throughout the year and for some Christmas can be incredibly hard. Mr Rodgerson, said: “For some residents Christmas can be very difficult because of their history.”

On Christmas Day, the Salvation Army Band played to the residents and they received presents before having a Christmas dinner.

Today, (Boxing Day) games have been organised, the internet is available and a film will be showed this afternoon.

Mr Rodgerson was very grateful for the help of the many volunteers who gave up some of their time on Christmas Day to help.

The Salvation Army has also done a number of things in the run up to Christmas: one example is their annual toy appeal which was backed in the borough this year by MCA Accountancy in Milnrow.

Sonia Coyle from MCA Accountancy told how the toy appeal had been a ‘complete success’ she said: “People have been so generous, what we have received has been overwhelming.

“People gave toys that were brand new, one lady even knitted eight dolls, and she did that because that is what she could contribute.”

Springhill Hospice has staff working around the clock to make sure that Christmas is as fun as possible. Sister Claire Brown said: “We try to make the day as nice as possible for the patients, we have music on and most people all sit down together for their Christmas meal. Some people have relatives who will visit them on Christmas day so in that case they will eat with their families.

“On Christmas morning the management team comes to see the patients and very body receives a present.”

The presents that patients receive at Christmas are bought with money that the ward sisters have raised throughout the year.

Sister Brown added: “We do whatever we can to put the icing on the cake.”