Blackpool Church give out over a thousand bags of kindness to the community this Christmas

Blackpool Church say Christmas is a season for kindness and a celebration of the greatest gift of love, meaning it is a time to reach out to neighbours and strangers by sharing generosity and the warmth of connection.

This year, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, Blackpool Church are promoting kindness and connection over anxiety and isolation, by reaching out to those that are struggling or alone this Christmas with a 'Bag of Kindness'.

Last year, Blackpool Church gave away 1,000 Bags of Kindness to people in the town and this year they have gone even further. There was a Love Christmas Bag Packing Day at the church where volunteers gathered together to make up the bags which are delivered to people in the community, with the offer of prayer and conversation on their doorstep.

Sarah Smith, who was a volunteer at the Bag Packing Day, said: "The atmosphere is great, we've had so much fun putting these bags together, it's the perfect way to start the Christmas period while doing something for others."

The initiative is in connection with Love Your Neighbour, a national charity which works through churches to help reach those who are most vulnerable, believing that everyone can play a part in the transformation of society.

The vicar of Blackpool Church, Andy Dykes said: "It has been a tough year for so many people in Blackpool, but the job of the church is to be a force for hope. That's why it was so exciting to be able to give over a thousand gifts to families and individuals in Blackpool through Love Christmas. Bring on next year!"

The bags were gratefully received by local residents with one lady who said, "I haven't been out of the house in two months, and this has just made my day!"

Blackpool Church launched on April 17 2022 and is part of the HTB Network and the Diocese of Blackburn. It gathers each Sunday for worship, a talk from the Bible, kids and youth groups. Their mission statement is ‘Let’s rewrite the headlines’, believing that God has a better story for Blackpool than the ones we see in the news.