LOCAL police officers have been working alongside partner agencies to bring some much-needed festive cheer to Warrington residents.
Officers from Warrington Neighbourhood Team and Cheshire Fire & Rescue have been helping to deliver Christmas gift hampers to residents who have been nominated after sadly being victims of crime or have suffered unfortunate personal circumstances in 2023.
The recipient list for these has been co-ordinated by PCSO Dean Pritchard following nominations from officers locally.
The gift hampers have kindly been donated by Tesco, Morrisons and Bents Garden Centre and officers are delivering them in conjunction with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to brighten up Christmas for those in need.
Some of those who received a gift hamper include:
•An 86-year-old woman who was conned out of her life savings
•An 80-year-old woman who spends her time knitting hats for neonatal babies
•A couple in their 80s who were defrauded out of £3,000 in a banking scam
•An elderly victim of crime who is the full-time carer for her partner who has dementia
PCSO Pritchard pulling crackers with Irene Bird – who knits clothing for the neonatal unit
Inspector Lee Hillyard said: “While Christmas is a merry time of year for many, it can be very isolating for some, especially those who are particularly vulnerable.
“We’ve been working with a number of partner agencies to show Warrington residents that the community really does care. We hope this small token will help brighten up their day in the run-up to Christmas and highlight how we are all working together to try and put a smile on people’s faces.
“I would like to thank staff at Tesco, Morrisons and Bents for donating the hampers, as well as our colleagues at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service for supporting this initiative.
“The nominated residents have been given a home safety check to help keep them safe over the festive period.
“We know being a victim of crime can have a significant impact on somebody’s life, therefore it is vital that we ensure they feel safe in their homes and have the support of officers through what can be a difficult time.
“We hope receiving the Christmas hampers brought festive cheer and we hope they have a happy Christmas and New Year.”
