A special Christmas gift for children, parents, the elderly, and local residents in the Hemelrijken neighbourhood. Kindcentrum Fellenoord has organised a Christmas market where free items will be distributed, offering a little extra joy during the festive season.
Among the items available are white cuddly unicorn toys, handmade ashtray-like objects, and plenty of puzzles. On Thursday, the Fellenoord Children’s Centre gymnasium is transformed into a Christmas market, where students can select five ‘presents’ each. Local residents are also welcome to contribute items.
Fighting Poverty and Building Community
Kindcentrum Fellenoord is hosting the event to foster a sense of community within the neighbourhood. Bente Bakker, the organiser, explains: “The school is based in the Hemelrijken district, which has a diverse, multicultural population, with many families facing socio-economic challenges. Our mission is to give every child equal opportunities for development and success, and this market offers a wonderful opportunity for teachers, parents, and the local community to come together.”
The items at the market were donated by teachers and their families. In addition to the presents, the school is also giving away Christmas hampers filled with luxury supermarket products for parents to take home. Bakker adds: “This package aims to make the holiday season a little brighter for everyone.”
The children’s centre does not want to discriminate between poor and less poor families: all are welcome at the market. ‘Every family gets to pick something which means the people who really need the items do not have to feel ashamed’ says Bakker.
The items left over after the market also get a good destination: they are donated to homeless shelter ‘t Hemeltje.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven news: Chaitali Sengupta.
