Cost of living: Parents ask for Calpol and baby wipes for Christmas

Christmas is supposed to be a magical time - but many children are facing up to having no present under the tree

When children write their Christmas list to Santa, most ask for toys or books, not Calpol and baby wipes.

However, parents are requesting everyday household items and clothing from a support group which is aiming to provide gifts for struggling families.

The Kindness Project in Cardiff is set to help hundreds of people this year.

Organiser Liam Schewitz said parents were not heating their homes and going without food to feed children, meaning presents are "right on the backburner".

"It's difficult to read, some things reduce you to tears," he admitted.

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"We've had parents asking for Calpol, baby wipes, basic clothing for their children. Calpol. Calpol for Christmas.

"We've had a lady get in touch with us, saying her baby has a dermatological condition and the kid needs Dermacare wipes, that cost £3 or £4 instead of the normal £1. That's what she wants for Christmas for her kids."

The streets of Wales' capital are usually full of Christmas shoppers this time of year, but there are others who cannot afford gifts

The Kindness Project is a community group based in Cardiff, with parents able to ask for what they want for their children, such as games and toys, with these added to an Amazon Wishlist.

It was launched during what organisers believed would be the toughest Christmas for families - 2020, when the spread of Covid meant the country locked down the week before.

With many parents leaving present-buying until the last minute after their December pay cheque goes into their account, it left them facing a bleak time with all shops shut.

The group was able to help 900 children - with donations coming from businesses and the public providing them with gifts.

In 2021, the numbers dropped to 200, but a cost of living crisis in 2022 has seen demand go through the roof once again.

It is set to be a cold Christmas for many families this year, with fears over food and heating bills

"I'm writing to ask for your help as I've recently had to leave my job due to ill health," said one parent.

"I literally can't afford a single present for my three boys. I feel like a failure. The boys are very caring and help me a lot, I'd like to give them a little something."

Mr Schewitz said it was important children wake up on Christmas morning "with their childhood intact", with 50 families helped in two days, and another 200 awaiting support from the group.

He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast offers of help from the public had been "overwhelming", but added: "It's heartbreaking to see.

"We have parents where both are in work, and they can't afford to turn the heating on, can't afford to eat themselves.

"The food that comes into the house is for the children, and as a result, Christmas presents for their kids, that's right on the backburner."

Mr Schewitz said the situation made him angry as he feels children are baring the brunt of political issues, adding: "The mental health toll on the parents who are struggling, I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it is."

An "extremely generous donation" received on Thursday "saved Christmas for four children", according to the group's Lois Ashcroft.

'Reduced to tears'

However, she said she was being "reduced to tears" both by the stories of families struggling and the kindness of people who were helping.

One of these was a request for help from a woman who lost her partner and the father to her four children recently.

"My sons are age 11, seven and nearly two, and my eight-year old-daughter," she said.

"Since losing him, we have also lost our home and are currently living in temporary accommodation.

"After everything this year and waiting any day to start from scratch with nothing, I just want my kids to have a day where they can hopefully enjoy a day again and to see the excitement on their faces that Santa has been."

The more people struggle, though, the more many others are willing to help - as was also illustrated in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

A record 4,000 gifts were donated to the council's Christmas appeal, with leader Andrew Morgan saying: "Care and compassion in the valleys shines brighter than ever at a time of need."

People give their time as well as their money to help at what can be a difficult month - including at the NSPCC's Childline base in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.

Volunteer Sandy Collyer, from Northop, Flintshire, said: "Christmas can be such a hard time for so many children and young people, nothing like the happy, cosy, festive images they see on television."

With pressure on families, both financial and emotional, children call for a variety of reasons, including conflict in the home, missing a loved one or because they feel lonely, according to Abigail Mainon, from Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire.

She has volunteered her Christmas Day, and said: "People associate Christmas with happy families, gifts and tables full of food, but that is not always the case for our young people.

"While I cannot fix these issues directly or give every child the Christmas they deserve, I can give them my time."

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