Posted on: 19th December 2023

Here at Kidz Klub, the team are busy elves getting presents and hampers out to families, holding special Christmas sessions, taking children to the panto, and much much more.

However, although we are busy I want to pause for a moment and share with you just one story about how your support helps children to feel loved and seen.


Meet Jonni*,

Jonni, and his 3 siblings have been visited by the same Kidz Klub volunteers for over 4 years now - every Thursday at around the same time.

Life has been challenging for them at times, and as a family they have faced difficult house conditions including damp, and re-occurring bed bugs.

Over the years, our Family Support work team have been in the parents corner - connecting them to support agencies, liaising with school and helping make life a little easier.

But that is not what todays story is about.

Today, I want to let you know how your support is enabling us to build relationships on our weekly visiting rounds, and what a difference this can make.

Jonni can be more difficult to engage with than his younger siblings. He is approaching high school now and despite having known Kidz Klub for years, he doesn't regularly attend our activities and was becoming withdrawn when we visited.

Our volunteers, wanting to ensure he is still included, decided to change tack and started doing a doorstep challenge each week with his siblings.

Gradually each week his family, friends and finally Jonni, all started to join in.

He has now begun to open up again and share how he is doing.

Recently, whilst we were visiting, Jonni turned to one of his visitors and asked:

"You know at Christmas, please can you come to our house for our party"

Jonni would probably not tell us how much he loves Kidz Klub, but we'd like to think this question tells another story. 

Over the next weeks Jonni, and many families like him, will be receiving hampers packed full with treats and toys donated by kind hearted individuals, Businesses and Churches.

Together, this makes all the difference for families like Jonni's who are struggling at Christmas time.

Sometimes it's the small things that make a real difference.

So today for all of those who are reading this who have been involved in some way with Kidz Klub over the years, we want to thank you for being part of that story of change. Thank you for choosing to see the children and their needs.

Whether you pray for the children and their families, donate to our appeals, give regularly, collect toys and hampers for Christmas or volunteer in one of our activities, you are part of the tapestry of small things which make children like Jonni feel seen and included.

- Sarah Turner and Laura Hodgkinson, Charity Co-Leaders, Kidz Klub Leeds

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*We have changed the names of the people in this story and have used a stock photo to protect their identity.