A community united by kindness.
Orchard House School is incredibly proud of the generosity and compassion shown by our school community during this year’s Christmas Toy Drive, supporting the children’s wards at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Thanks to the overwhelming kindness of our staff, parents (in particular our Nursery and Reception parents), friends and families, donations rose to an extraordinary 326 donated toys. Of these, 126 gifts were donated directly by Orchard House faculty and families, reflecting the strength of our school community and its commitment to giving back.
Miss Schilli-Somjen delivered the toys to the hospital’s play specialists last Friday to then be distributed to children aged 0–16 who were spending Christmas Day in hospital. These gifts were then given out by Father Christmas on Christmas morning, helping to bring comfort, joy and festive magic to children and families during what can be a particularly challenging time.
We would like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank you to Miss Schilli-Somjen, who organised the toy drive with great care and dedication, generously donating so much of her time. Her efforts ensured the success of this initiative and made a meaningful difference to so many young lives.
This toy drive is a wonderful example of one of Orchard House School’s core qualities — kindness. By thinking beyond ourselves and supporting others in our wider community, our pupils, families and staff demonstrate the values we strive to nurture every day.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported this initiative. Together, you have helped to make Christmas a little brighter for children spending the festive season in hospital.
