Nine-year-old Noah Simms from Ballyclare was one of 101 very special children who recently enjoyed a visit by Santa’s helpers and elves from The Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust (NICTL).
The annual flight to Lapland was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic.
Now, the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT), which takes 100 local children, with life threatening or life limiting conditions, to Lapland every year, has rolled out its new COVID safe festive campaign, delivering gifts to 101 children.
Gifts to the value of £200 were delivered to each of the children nominated by the various hospital trusts. Siblings of those affected by illness and/or disability also received smaller gifts.
Noah’s mum and dad Stephen and Alison Simms said when a healthcare worker turned up at their door and told them Noah had been nominated to receive a gift from NICLT, they couldn’t believe it.
“From then until the elves walked down our driveway Noah’s excitement built as he received first a letter and then a video message from Santa. The trust even included a gift for his siblings, which was another very generous gesture. After a very tough year for everyone this was such a fantastic start to our Christmas festivities. We would like to thank the NICLT and Noah’s consultant and nurses for this fantastic gift. Merry Christmas to all!” the parents said in a statement.
The campaign, which the charity has called ‘Three Steps to Christmas’ began with a detailed and touching letter from Santa to the 101 children nominated. This was followed up by a video greeting, from the man himself, from his home in Lapland, with his head elf, Juju, by his side.
The campaign was only made possible by the many supporters of NICLT, who donated funds and embarked on their own fundraising activities to raise money.
It was also made possible by NI telecoms firm, Barclay Communications, who made a magnificent donation of £20,000 last month, to pay for every gift purchased for the nominated children.
Britt Megahey, Founder and Managing Director of Barclay Communications, said: “We have always admired the work that the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust does and when we heard that they couldn’t fulfil their annual commitment of taking 100 vulnerable children to Lapland this year and how their efforts to raise the necessary funds had been met with many challenges, we wanted to do what we could to help. To see the campaign roll out across Northern Ireland is very heart-warming and we are honoured that as a business we were in a position to help those children who need it most.”
Speaking about the efforts to make the initiative happen, Colin Barkley, Chair of NICLT, said: “We are delighted to be able to kick start our campaign and, while we know that our Three Steps to Christmas might not equal a trip to Lapland, it will recreate some of that magic in the safest way possible.
“We would like to thank those who continued to raise funds for us and donate during this challenging time and, of course, Barclay Communications for its huge generosity which has eased the weight and pressure felt by us at this time.”
The charity’s President, Gerry Kelly, said they receive no government or lottery funding and everything they do is entirely self-funded, relying on the generosity of people and companies.
“We count ourselves very fortunate to have our fundraising team in Carrickfergus and our corporate partners, The Bushmills Inn, Glens of Antrim Potatoes, C-Tec (NI) in Newry, Hagan Homes, Wineflair and, of course, Barclay Communications by our side,” he added.
“Their ongoing support once again this year, allows us to start making ambitious plans for 2021, which, if circumstances allow, we hope will include taking an even larger group than originally anticipated to Disneyland in Paris as well as our annual trip to Lapland.”
Joining in on the distribution of the presents was former Ireland and British Lions Rugby star, Tommy Bowe, who said: “I have been aware for some time of the work of the Lapland Trust, but this was the first time that I had had the chance to see it for myself, up close and personal. What they do is absolutely fabulous and, as the father of two young children myself, it was really special to see the sheer joy on the children’s faces…and, boy, don’t they deserve those presents.”
To find out more about the charity click on https://www.niclt.org/ or follow on Facebook @childrentolaplandtrust.