02/12/2015

The family of Isabella Peatfield, who died in the Boxing Day Tsunami, are hoping the people of Ashbourne will support a special initiative to bring gifts to Sri Lankan orphans this Christmas.

This festive season, to keep Isabella’s memory alive, family and friends have launched the Isabella Christmas Gift Appeal.

Gifts forwarded by the people of Ashbourne will be sent to Canadapura Orphanage​, which is situated in the same village where Isabella died in Tangalle, as well as to the Home of Hope, which the Fund has supported for over 10 years.

From Monday December 7, through to Friday December 11, Shepherd PR – located next to Bramhalls’ Deli and Cafe in Ashbourne’s Market Place – will be opening its doors to take delivery of the gifts. The office will be open from 9.30am until 5pm and will also be open for donations during Ashbourne’s Late Night Shopping event on December 11 until 9pm.

The suggested maximum spend per present is £10, with a donation towards postage of £2.50 each. Suggested items for donation include hair accessories, stickers, colouring books, notebooks, story books and headbands, bracelets, wristbands, notebooks, pens and pencils, pencil cases, baseball caps and Lego.

The gifts, which will be given to boys and girls aged between four years of age and 18, can be donated unwrapped but if wrapped should have a list added to the outside of the present detailing its contents for customs purposes.  The gifts should not contain guns or warfare toys, nor chocolate or food.

Two local primary schools have already pledged their support.  Children from Parwich and Osmaston Schools have been busy collecting gifts and teachers and staff have promised to give their time to wrap the presents donated.

Kim and Tristan Peatfield, from the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border village of Mappleton, were holidaying in Sri Lanka over Christmas 2004, when horrific floods snatched away the life of their daughter, who was five years old.

The Isabella Peatfield Memorial Fund was set up soon after Isabella’s death when the couple were inundated with out-of-the-blue donations amounting to £25,000.

Their first project was to fund a hospital ward in her name in the village of Tangalle.

Since then more than 40,000 children have been treated in the ward and the fund has supported many more initiatives in the country, with the aim of supporting youngsters in their education and at play.

Kim Peatfield said: “This Christmas we hope to be able to provide a gift for every child in the orphanages we support.

“It’s a difficult time of year for us, but Isabella’s memory lives on by helping children in Sri Lanka through the fund

More details about The Isabella Peatfield Memorial Fund can be found at www.isabellapeatfield.com People can donate online or at the bank if they are unable to buy a present but still want to help.

To contact Shepherd PR about delivering the Christmas gifts please call Sue, Kathryn or Jo on 01335 368020 or email sue@shepherd-pr.com