Family Appeal

The Family Appeal has grown rapidly over the years with the support from a range of partners including Tesco, Bridge Commercial and many more.  Last year The Salvation Army appeal, along with other donors, helped over 2500 families (more than 5200 children) across the province. 

The Family Appeal mainly relies on general public to ‘Be A Star’ and donate gifts as well as volunteers who work at Salvation Army churches on arranged days. New and unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at all Salvation Army churches and centres across Northern Ireland, as well as the following Tesco stores until December 15:

• Tesco Ballymena - BT42 3HB
• Tesco Ballymoney - BT53 7JT
• Tesco Belfast - Newtownbreda Road, BT8 6PZ
• Tesco Belfast - Ballygomartin Road, BT13 3LD
• Tesco Carrickfergus - BT38 8AU
• Tesco Castlereagh - BT5 5FT
• Tesco Coleraine - BT52 1HU
• Tesco Dungannon - BT71 7BN
• Tesco Limavady - BT49 0ET
• Tesco Newtownards - BT23 8NN
• Tesco Newry - BT34 1EE

Members of the public and businesses are also encouraged to make a donation online through the JustGiving page. Whether you wish to donate towards craft items, books, family board games or gifts for teenagers, all donations are gratefully received. 

Applications for support are primarily made to The Salvation Army through social workers, health visitors, school teachers and other professionals.  Then the process begins, enabling The Salvation Army to provide help where needed.

We’re teaming up again with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland to take parents and children on a magical train journey to visit Santa at his weekend grotto at Whitehead.  Translink are transporting 50 of our Family Centre residents to the grotto where they will encounter colourful Christmas characters and of course, have a very special meeting with Santa Clause and his wife Mrs Clause.

The families will meet many ‘fun’ characters in this specially adapted area and also have the opportunity to write their own personal letter to Santa.

Refreshments will be offered, and each family unit will have the opportunity to take that ‘special reminder photograph’ of their child with Mr & Mrs C.

Whilst the steam train is not operational this year, there may be the possibility of short rides up and down the area at Whitehead.  The members of the society are sad that we cannot use the steam train this year but are excited at the special provision made for this year.