Mission Christmas:

Winter is drawing in, and cost-of-living pressures are still weighing heavily on families across the UK.
For them, Christmas is a time of stark choices. Choices between heating their homes or buying food. Choices that strip away the magic of Christmas. No child should worry that Santa won't come. Christmas is now a luxury that some families just can’t afford. The cost-of-living crisis has pushed more families into poverty. Our mission is to give disadvantaged children the joy of a gift from Santa. To make Christmas something special for over 270,000* disadvantaged kids across the UK.

At Rochdale Training, we believe in giving back to our community, especially during the festive season. This year, two of our team members, Lisa and Lorna, took part in the Mission Christmas campaign, helping to ensure no child wakes up without a gift on Christmas morning.

Samuel Thornton, 25, from Failsworth, Oldham, has embraced a brighter future thanks to the life-changing support of Rochdale Training. Growing up in a tough area, Samuel faced significant challenges, including dealing with Asperger’s, bullying at school, and difficulties connecting with traditional education.

“I never enjoyed school or college,” Samuel shares. “It didn’t feel like a place where I could do well. Dropping out of college was hard, but I knew I needed to finish my maths and English to move forward.”

With encouragement from his supportive family, Samuel was introduced to Rochdale Training through a recommendation—and everything changed.