Ably support by their adult leaders, the young people of the Universal Teen Force (UTF) at the UCKG HelpCentre in Lozells, Birmingham, bookended the last weekend in April with Easter gifts for local sick children and their families.

On Friday 22 April, their donation of 100 Cadbury and Malteser Easter eggs was taken to Ronald McDonald House, in Birmingham. This generous act was repeated on Monday 25 April with a further donation of 100 Cadbury’s Easter eggs for youngsters at the Acorns Hospice in Selly Oak.

On each occasion the chocolate eggs were delivered by Dreduela Abiodun, wife of the senior pastor at Lozells HelpCentre, who is also the church’s UTF coordinator. For the first trip to Ronald McDonald House, she was assisted by two volunteer adult helpers, Neveah Leveridge and Ameena Huges, while for the second donation another adult, Perside Tosingilo, lent a hand.

Joleen Foley, and a co-worker at Ronald McDonald House accepted the Easter eggs on behalf of the families that use that facility to be near their children in Birmingham Children’s Hospital. They were “so grateful and delighted to receive the gifts as we have never visited or worked in conjunction with them prior to this distribution.”

The Easter eggs were similarly well received at the Acorns Hospice, where Dee McCann, the volunteers manager accepted the Easter eggs, enthusiastically.

Dreduela Abiodun said: “She would like to build a continuous relationship with us, and also asked if we would like to come in during the summer and offer some help with duties.” The UCKG is now looking at ways of taking that forward.

 Both donations were made under the banner of the UCKG’s ongoing Give Warmth appeal, which provides treats and necessities to some of Britain’s more disadvantage children and adults, particularly at Christmas and Easter.

ENDS

Notes to editors 

UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort and welcomes all-comers. It reached the UK in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength, providing support and spreading the Christian faith. There are UCKG HelpCentre branches in England and Wales.