A family of seven is looking forward to a Christmas they “never would have been able to afford” after receiving an anonymous donation through the children's school.
Mum-of-five Nicola Hall said she was reduced to tears on Monday morning after receiving a call from the primary school that four of her children attend, in St Helens, Liverpool.
Nicola, 31, was told by a member of staff at Legh Vale Primary School in Haydock that following an anonymous donation made by a local couple, her family had been selected to receive a £100 cash prize ahead of the Christmas period.
Nicola, 31, told the Liverpool Echo she had picked up the phone to have someone from the school saying they had some “great news” for her.
“They said that my children’s names had been pulled out [of a draw] and that our family had won one of the cash prizes,” she said.
As a family of seven with one working adult, Nicola said Christmas was typically a difficult time of year.
“As a family of seven with one working adult this time of year is hard, so £100 is a lot of money for us right now,” she said.
Mr Howard, headteacher of Legh Vale Primary School, said that the couple, who have asked the school to remain anonymous, replaced exchanging gifts with each other with making a donation to the school a number of years ago.
They had continued the tradition ever since, Mr Howard said.
With their annual gift, the couple ask that the donation goes towards helping the families who would really benefit from a helping hand during the festive period.
Nicola said she shed a few tears when she heard the amount, because of the kind gesture from a stranger and because of her own money worries.
“We will be able to get the extras that we hadn’t managed to buy, things like crackers for the tree and extra stocking fillers for the children, and some little things that the children had decided to add to their lists the week before Christmas!” she said.
“As a parent, all you want to do is make your children happy and I was overwhelmed with emotions because of this act of kindness from strangers, they have made it possible for us to get the things that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.”
Mr Howard said the donation had come from a “lovely local Christian couple” whose children are all grown up.
“Now, instead of them buying each other a gift they decided to donate £200 to the school,” he said.
“The £200 is split between two families and it’s just amazing and really has put a smile on the families faces.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable and a generous donation which really does make a difference to the children’s and families lives at this time of year.
“It just restores your faith in humanity when people do things like this.”
Mr Howard said the school has experienced a “double whammy” this year after they received a brand new bike worth £550 from another family to be donated to a child through a raffle, as well as a number of hampers and wrapped presents being given to the school from multiple local charities.
He added: “It’s been such a lovely week this week, with the hampers and wrapped presents for 100 children and the donations.
“Even though it's been a really hard time and we’ve not been able to do the things we usually would like the Nativity, this has helped make Christmas a special time in school again.”
