Christmas is coming early for a small UK children’s charity that sends ‘Christmas in a box’ to children and young people in hospital for their mental health over the festive period each year.
To mark ‘Christmas in July’, which lands on the 25th of this month, the team at Christmas For CAMHS are calling for people to dig out their old festive DVDs, especially those with certificates from U to 12A, to donate to the charity, so that they can include them in movie night kits for CAMHS (children and adolescent mental health) wards this Christmas.
Many wards do not have access to streaming services and therefore DVDs are the only way that young people can enjoy a festive movie, giving them some semblance of home and normalcy while they are so unwell in hospital.
Any festive DVD donations can be sent to:
Christmas For CAMHS
68 St Catherines Grove
Lincoln
LN5 8NA
The charity is also encouraging people to take festive sock selfies to share online, which will raise essential funds and awareness to help to sprinkle a little joy for young people going through a really tough time, ensuring that they don’t feel forgotten.
Trustee Charli Clement said: ‘We’re in a world that relies on streaming platforms and many people won’t think about DVDs anymore, but most CAMHS units will still be using them, whether it be due to lack of wifi, lack of equipment, or lack of funds. When I was an inpatient, we had a small selection of DVDs which were played on constant repeat. Where Christmas is extremely difficult as an inpatient, I found watching films to be very regulating and made me feel more at home, but it also became mundane. A “movie night” box to watch something new and make an occasion of it would have been so welcome and would have brightened our experience.’
For more information on the charity's Christmas in July celebrations please visit their website:
https://www.christmasforcamhs.org.uk/christmas-in-july
