Saturday 12th December saw true Christmas spirit in action on Marlow High Street, as the Marlow Elves project came to life.
The Elves were hard at work in their festive grotto on 3 Spittal Street, to gather the hundreds of thoughtfully chosen presents donated for those in need this Christmas. Sorbon agreed to lend this vacant unit to the initiative in order to assist them with a central hub for gathering donations.
The Marlow Elves project, spearheaded by the Marlow Life Facebook group, identified more than 200 local people in need this Christmas. Working with locals, each person was then matched with a gift-giver who chose, wrapped and delivered a present worth £10 to the Marlow Elves on Saturday. The Elves will now manage delivery of these gifts to their recipients in time for Christmas Day.
A spokes-elf for Marlow Elves commented, "'We wanted to do something to bring a much-needed boost to the community. The Elves have sent over 700 cards, with drawings by local children, to nominated elderly residents. Over 230 gifts will be delivered and a number of residential homes and community projects, such as Marlow Age Concern, will receive a box of donated treats.
We still have the Elf Awards to announce on Christmas Eve. Community-led awards for people who have stood out over the past 12 months. It has been amazing given the awful year everyone has had, it's bringing cheer not only to those receiving the presents, but everyone who has volunteered to take part. It's been so well-received that we are already planning for next year! The Elves would like to thank everyone who took part and the local businesses who have supported the initiative and provided prizes for the Elf Awards."
Tamra Booth, Managing Director of Sorbon Estates, said, "We were delighted to provide the Marlow Elves with one of our Marlow retail units to gather the donated presents. It is such a worthwhile cause and, as a local business, we are always keen to support community initiatives like this."
