Midcheshire Independent Issue 174

5 JANUARY 2025 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk Gifts: Some of the Christmas shoeboxes donated for the appeal and Manchester Airport, whose teams are helping to bring the magic of Christmas to life for these deserving children.” Robert Pattison, head of community engagement at the airport, said: “We are proud to have a long-standing partnership with Childflight, which does out- standing work.” Santa’s flight delivers a special gift for kids Santa search: Getting ready for the big take-o! (Photo credit: Manchester Airport) MORE than 140 local chil- dren saw their Christmas dreams come true on a charity’s annual ‘Search for Santa’ flight from Manches- ter Airport. Childflight, a North-West chil- dren’s charity which provides flights and holidays for children who are unwell or living in chal- lenging circumstances, teamed up with Manchester Airport and TUI to operate the special Christmas trip. The primary school children were taken on a TUI aircraft, leaving Manchester and flying over the snow-capped peaks of North Wales – doubling for the North Pole. They were entertained on board by volunteers, including airport employees in full costume as Santa’s elves. Midway through the flight, the children felt a slight wobble as a sleigh seemed to gently touch down on the plane and Father Christmas appeared from the cockpit. On their return to Manches- ter Airport, the children paid a visit to Santa’s Grotto in the Little Flyers’ Zone play area in Terminal 1, where they each received a bag of presents – as part of the airport’s efforts to ensure as many local children as possible have a present to open on Christmas morning. Stephen Sefton, chair of Childflight, said: “This flight is all about creating magical moments for children who face challenges that most of us can hardly imagine. “Whether it’s due to illness, social disadvantage, or just life circumstances, we aim to give these children the chance to experience something truly special. The ‘Search for Santa’ Flight is not just a journey into the sky – it’s an experience that will stay in their hearts forever. “We have now been operating this flight for more than a decade and over that time, more than 1,000 youngsters have been able to enjoy this magical experience. “The event is made possible by the tireless work of ChildFlight’s volunteers and the generous support of partners like TUI Giving some comfort to children in Ukraine A MACCLESFIELD couple who fill shoeboxes full of gifts to send to children in war-torn Ukraine have collected more than 1,500 this year. Jeanette and Craig Rice received filled boxes and gifts from across Cheshire to deliver to young people in the country, including orphans. The massive shipment, part of One Project Ukraine, left Macclesfield in mid-De- cember, with the presents heading for children’s homes, orphanages and hospitals across the country. Donations were received from businesses and indi- viduals and stored in the couple’s home before being shipped on. The boxes con- tain a range of items, from treats to essentials. Parkroyal Community School in Macclesfield collected 153 Christmas shoeboxes this year. Jeanette said: “A massive thank you to everyone who has donated through our JustGiving and given cash donations, we really do appreciate your support.”