Christmas cards turn into warm coats for Ukraine 

A local idea for a Christmas card has snowballed into a community collaboration exercise to help children caught up in conflict, especially in Ukraine. 

When eleven-year-old Sam Firmager picked up his paint brush during the October half term to enter a Norwich School Christmas card competition, he had no idea that his creativity and talent would spark inspiration and community spirit which would stretch far beyond his kitchen table. 
 
Sam’s stunning painting of Norwich Cathedral, which took him two weeks to paint, instantly caught the attention of Anna Lloyd, who is married to Rev Dave Lloyd from St Thomas Norwich. In the New Year Anna will be helping to launch an initiative to get more churches behind Street Child, which was founded by Norfolk’s Tom Dannatt to enable the world’s most disadvantaged children to have an education.
 
She was on the look-out for an image to use on a Christmas card for Street Child. “I asked Norwich School if I could use one of the competition entries,” she said, “because I was keen to print a card that would be Norfolk-centric, given that the charity’s founders - the Dannatt family - are from here. I was completely blown away when I saw Sam’s painting. His glowing image of the cathedral in the snow couldn't have been more perfect.”
 
Especially heart-warming has been the enthusiasm with which others have supported the project. “From a local firm's unexpected offer of half-price printing, to churches and Norwich School taking collections at their carol services, Norwich is really getting behind Street Child’s winter campaign supporting children living in conflict,” said Anna.


 
Street Child’s work with children caught up in the Ukraine conflict is particularly close to home this year for the Lloyd family as they have guests living with them who had to flee Ukraine after their home town was bombed and occupied. They are a mother and daughter who have loved seeing the Norwich community come together to help children in their home country. They have also enjoyed helping pack up the cards. “Our living room floor has become a long production line of cards, envelopes and string,” said Anna. “It’s been therapeutic to spend time packing them up together with Christmas music playing.” 
 
Street Child is working closely with partner organisations in conflict zones, to create child friendly spaces and provide essential humanitarian support to families affected by war. All profit from the sale of the cards goes to Street Child’s Winter Appeal. The cards can be bought at The Mitre on Earlham Road, next to St Thomas Church, or you can email Anna on anna.lloyd@street-child.org to arrange delivery. The suggested donation is £5 for a pack of six.
 
To find out more about Street Child’s work, and to donate this Christmas please visit www.street-child.org. £80 could provide a child in Ukraine with a thick coat and sturdy shoes to keep them warm this winter. Do email Anna if you would like to know more about Churches for Street Child, which is launching in early 2023.
 
Pictured above is Anna Lloyd with the cards at The Mitre. Centre (left to right) are the Christmas cards and the the production line in the Lloyd’s home. Below (left to right) are artist Sam Firmager and Zachary Lloyd helping with collection buckets.