Angel Tree

Jamie Neighbourly Lead from Chartwell

While recently attending our local church with my family, I noticed a table at the back of the auditorium. It had trees set up with a name card on each of the branches. Upon inquiry, I was told it was an Angel Tree, coordinated by Prison Fellowship New Zealand.

Through this programme, every prisoner in the country is given the opportunity to choose to give a Christmas gift to their child or children.

I asked my seven-year-old son to choose a child for our family to buy a present for. He chose a seven-year-old boy who stated on his card that he hoped for spiderman apparel. Our children all contributed money from their pocket money jars, and we purchased an appropriate $25 gift. We then brought it to church the following Sunday.

I would like to thank Prison Fellowship NZ for coordinating this programme, and all those who generously gave a gift. It means that an extra 4,000 Kiwi children will receive a Christmas present and card with a personal message from their parent this Christmas.

Research indicates that children who maintain a relationship between themselves and their parent have an improved emotional response to their incarceration.