Deep Business Centre in plea for unwanted Christmas gifts for Dove House Hospice

Pictured with some of the items collected at The Deep Business Centre is receptionist Sue Waterhouse (right) and Freya Cross, Head of Business and Corporate at The Deep.

STAFF, clients and visitors at a business centre in Hull have launched the final push in their campaign to collect unwanted Christmas presents in support of Dove House Hospice.

The team at The Deep Business Centre are urging members of the public to join them in the effort to donate as many items as possible by the end of this month to help Dove House build a stock of prizes for raffles and tombolas.

The Business Centre will then launch a new initiative, collecting empty crisp packets which can be turned into cash by recycling programmes run by TerraCycle.

The campaign to support Dove House was launched last year by Sue Waterhouse, a receptionist at the Business Centre, after she lost her husband. Items including toiletries, small boxes of chocolates, wine and non-alcoholic alternatives were donated to provide Christmas gifts for patients at the Hospice.

With the festive season over the focus switched to unwanted Christmas presents and staff from Dove House will visit the Business Centre on Friday 31 January to collect the stock of toiletries, bath bombs, chocolates, books and other items.

Sue said: “People and businesses have been very generous – the staff at LEBC Group donated their Secret Santa money to buy gifts for Dove House – and we have built up a nice collection. Once these have been handed over we will set up a point in our reception area for people to drop off empty crisp packets.

“One of the companies in the Business Centre, Foster Care Associates, collected thousands of empty packets last year to raise money for local charities and we’ve agreed that we will now take it over to support Dove House. We will also hold other events this year in aid of Dove House. I have direct experience of the wonderful work they do there and having seen how they help people I wanted to do something to support them.”

Jethro Shearring, Regional Fundraiser for Dove House Hospice, said: “We are really appreciative of the help we are receiving from The Deep Business Centre. Collecting raffle and tombola prizes is an ongoing process and helps us to maximise the fund raising at balls, dinners and other events. We are very grateful to all the people who have donated items and we are delighted that the Business Centre is already planning its next campaign.”

Items can be dropped off at The Deep Business Centre between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday and at The Deep aquarium between 10am and 4.30pm every day until Friday 31 January.