It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

JOIN US ON 1 DECEMBER 2019, 6:30pm  Barton Grange Garden Centre, Preston, PR3 0BT.

Tickets are £7 per person and include a complimentary Mince Pie and Mulled Wine will be served at this magical event. All proceeds will be split and donated to ourselves, The Salvation Army and Cancer Care.

Members of Adoption Matters will be attending so please come and say hello.

Further details here https://www.bartongrange.co.uk/events/charity-carol-concert/

This year we are one of the chosen charities for the Chester Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival.

Chester Cathedral welcomes more than 50,000 visitors throughout the month of December so we will be able to engage with a strong local audience. In 2018, they helped raise £11,000 for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd. This year Adoption Matters is one of the chosen charities to benefit from the voting! (Pictured right our tree from 2018)

In November, our Centre for Adoption Support Choir hand made some decorations which will be hung on our own Christmas tree at the festival, so please make sure you look out for it and also vote for your favourite tree for just £1.

All donations received will be split between two charities, Adoption Matters and Stick ‘n’ Step. More details here: https://www.adoptionmatters.org/event/chestercathedralchristmastree/

JOIN US ON 15 DECEMBER 2019 CHESTER CATHEDRAL

Join us on Sunday 15 December 2019,  3:30pm at Chester Cathedral for their ‘Carols for the City with Blessing of the Trees service’.

ALL families and children welcome to this free, festive carol service.  More details available here: https://chestercathedral.com/music-worship/cathedral-christmas-services/

Thinking of fundraising this Christmas?

How about supporting Adoption Matters. Christmas can be a challenging time for our families:

Over stimulation, change of routine, heightened anxieties, reinforcement of loss. Our continued support and guidance helps our families to manage these challenges. Support Adoption Matters this festive season and help families to create their own memories and traditions. Email us at fundraising@adoptionmatters.org  for our new fundraising guide.

If you shop online, visit our fundraising shopping section here, for easy ways to donate whilst doing your online Christmas shopping at no hassle, no cost to you!

Advice and guidance for adoptive families at Christmas

For children who have experienced separation and loss Christmastime can be a very unsettling time.  Our friends and partners at Home for Good published the below great blog on how to support children and help them cope with for what is for some, a difficult period.

https://www.homeforgood.org.uk/five-ways-to-support-foster-and-adoptive-families-at-christmas 

Introducing Excitable Edgar…my adopted son

Image credit John Lewis & Partners

Home for Good also shared this lovely blog from an adoptive parent on how the new John Lewis Advert character, Excitable Edgar reminded them of their adopted son and so many other children who may need caring for just like Edgar.  Take a few minutes to have a read here.

Adoption UK also have some helpful guidance on Coping with Christmas with tips from adopters on how to help children and also look after yourselves. https://www.adoptionuk.org/FAQs/coping-with-christmas

We offer ongoing support and training to our adoptive families for LIFE.  Our Centre for Adoption Support offer a variety of workshops, groups and training, visit: www.centreforadoptionsupport.org  If you would like advice or guidance about adoption, adoption support contact us on Tel: 0300 123 1066 or email us at info@adoptionmatters.org