Cost of living: Leeds woman to deliver care packages for the vulnerable this winter despite being bedridden

Claire Wiggins began her charity endeavours and fundraising at age 16, following her diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, conditions which affects joints causing swelling and pain. Now, at the age of 43, Claire has raised more than £65,000 for a number of different charities.

As her condition worsened this year, Claire tells the Yorkshire Evening Post that she has been house bound and bedridden. She said: "I wanted to do something on my own while I am at home and I’m not very well. I love helping other people – it keeps me busy and keeps my mind off the pain.”

Staying busy, Claire made small parcels with handmade keyrings among other little items this summer. Her parents hid the parcels to create a treasure hunt across the village for children. She said: “It’s just a little act of kindness to make people smile. I really missed doing my care packages.”

Claire had made 250 care packages for the NHS frontline workers and some patients in 2021. As Claire spent most of her teenage years in hospital, she also made care packages for unwell children in hospitals and included toys, books and treats. She said: “The care packages were a thank you to the NHS workers for their hard work in the pandemic but also to say thank you for looking after me all my life due to my illnesses.”

Claire has fibromyalgia, hypermobility syndrome, costochondritis degenerative disc disease, and an underlying condition which affects her spine which doctors are currently investigating. These conditions mean she is in constant pain. Along with a “cocktail of medications”, Claire has been visiting the hospital to receive nerve ablation in her back and injections to nerves in her wrist to ease the pain.

"Despite the pain that I am in and all the medicine I am on, I always try to remain positive and always try to smile,” she said, adding that she hopes to continue making care packages. “I try to not let my disability stop me from doing what I want to do.”

This year, the packages will include more winter-aid items such as thermal socks, gloves, vests, mugs and flasks, as well as thick clothing. She will include some foil blankets and waterproof ponchos. The packages will be delivered to St George's Crypt, in the city centre, for distribution.

Claire shares that she doesn’t have as many donations in comparison to her previous packages and urges people to donate. She added: “Even if I only make 20, it will make a difference to those 20 people who receive one.”

In the name of Claire’s charity work, she was invited to carry both the Olympic torch in 2012 and the baton for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. She was also awarded Yorkshire Community Hero at the Yorkshire Awards in 2010 and eight weeks ago, she was nominated for one of the Made a Difference Awards from the BBC.

Find out what and how to donate by contacting Claire Wiggins at [email protected].