Science company Lubrizol helps make Easter eggstra special for hundreds of vulnerable Derby children

Children First Derby, which supports more than 600 children across the city each year with a range of services, is taking on the role of Easter bunny with the support of businesses including Lubrizol which have between them contributed hundreds of chocolate eggs.

The charity’s annual Easter egg appeal calls on organisations to donate seasonal chocolate treats to help struggling families who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

After organisations donated Easter eggs the charity’s representatives have been distributing them to the families it supports.

Bella Kelsey, fundraising co-ordinator at Children First Derby, said: “The families we are supporting don’t have much and have a range of vulnerabilities.

“In society we tend to assume that everybody has something, even as simple as an Easter egg. We make sure that every child we support has got an Easter egg to just give a little bit of joy in that time.

“We support 600 children and everyone gets one. Lubrizol has been supporting us for a number of years with Christmas presents and Easter eggs. They are one of our most consistent supporters and we really appreciate that.”

Employees at Lubrizol’s UK Technical Centre based in Hazelwood, Derbyshire, contributed Easter eggs which were collected up at the company’s offices before being delivered to Children First Derby to be distributed amongst families.

Claire Hollingshurst, from Lubrizol’s charities and communities committee, said: “We are very happy to be supporting Children First Derby’s Easter egg appeal. An Easter egg is taken for granted by so many families but not everyone can manage to supply their children with this festive treat. It’s important to us at Lubrizol that we give back to the communities we serve and it’s with pleasure that we have contributed to this appeal once again.”

Lubrizol employees have turned Easter bunny across all their UK sites this year with employees in the company’s plants in Manchester, Huddersfield and Barnsley also getting involved with similar appeals.

Lubrizol employees have provided around 400 Easter eggs to good causes around the UK this year, including Manchester Mind and Forget-me-Not Hospice in Huddersfield.