By Andy Dalton
Thousands of Christmas gift tags have been created from waste for the benefit of people in West Leeds.
In January this year Armley based charity Leeds City Mission appealed through the columns of the West Leeds Dispatch for donations of used Christmas cards. Readers and other supporters rallied round and donated an incredible 2,240 discarded Christmas greetings cards
89-year-old Gillies Milner took up the challenge to create something out of the huge pile of cards. Gillies is a supporter of the City Mission. She can only leave her home using a wheelchair accompanied by her carer as she has severe mobility problem, but she always likes to be doing something useful.
Over the last ten months she has created a fantastic total of 4,750 Christmas greetings tags from greetings cards donated to the City Mission.
She explained that she liked to be busy. Using crimping scissors, she has created an incredible range of greetings tags. Second-hand ribbon has also been acquired and put to good use. Well wishers have donated ribbon from old flower arrangements and gift parcels. These have been carefully cut up and used.
Gillies said: “It’s the sort of work that only needs use of my hands. I cut the cards and make the tags in all the spare time I have at my disposal – which is a lot these days.”
Other volunteers at the City Mission have transported the greetings tags to their Compassion Centre in Mistress Lane. In coming weeks they will be distributed to a range of charities and individuals who will put them to good use in the yuletide season
A spokesman for Leeds City Mission said that they were deeply grateful for all the hard work of every volunteer that had made this project such a success. Items that were waste had been used to create tags of beauty and value.
The spokesman added that anyone who would like a batch of free greetings tags is welcome to collect them by calling in at the City Mission premises. It is currently open Monday – Friday (not Wednesdays) between 10.30am and 2.30pm. It will also planning to be open every Saturday until Christmas commencing Saturday 25 November onwards between 10am and 1pm. People can browse through the wide variety of tags and take what they want.
The City Mission is also running a Pop-Up Christmas charity shop with a variety of gifts, cards and other items for sale to generate funds for its ongoing work with marginalized people.
Leeds City Mission is a multi-church Christian agency which has worked with marginalised people since 1837 and seeks to meet the physical, social and spiritual needs of Leeds residents. More details on 0113 345 3118.