Grieving Mother founds new community project for Sheffield’s poorest families in her late daughter’s legacy

A community project for Sheffield’s poorest families has distributed 400 toys to the city's poorest children in time for Christmas.
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The Joybank, on Abbeydale Road, has sent out the gifts in collaboration with Mums United and Sharrow Community Forum.

Fiona Cooper established the project in memory of her daughter, Jessa, who died in 2009 aged just 26 following infection and rejection of a double lung transplant after suffering from cystic fibrosis.

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Ms Cooper, 71, said: “I cannot imagine anything more horrendous than a child dying. You could put me in jail for 27 years like Nelson Mandela and that would have been fine if I knew that Jessa was going to be there when I got out.

Jessa CooperJessa Cooper
Jessa Cooper

“For me it has been a very dark time because I don’t have much other family. When I started doing this, the whole process of delivering toys to kids and seeing them smile made me feel joy again. That is why this is The Joybank, and that is for Jessa.”

Jessa’s Mother wants to open up conversation surrounding the “gut-wrenching pain” of losing a child. She challenges its surrounding stigma by continuously honouring and recognising Jessa through her work at The Joybank.

She said: “Jessa said to me before she died, ‘Mama, I’ve got work to do’. This is her work.”

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With an employment background in peace education and social justice, Ms Cooper joined Mums United last year, which is a charitable organisation led by Sheffield Mothers aiming to tackle rising youth violence and child drug exploitation.

Whilst running workshops for children here, The Joybank founder began to notice the extent of families in Sheffield unable to provide their children with toys.

Determined to ensure no child in Sheffield was toyless, and with recycling and sustainability in mind, she advertised on social media asking for toy donations. She then operated a toy-giving service from her living room, personally delivering toys to families in need.

Overwhelmed with support and donations from the local community, The Joybank opened its doors on December 12. Its premises now double as a donation centre and shop, selling some of its new and preloved toys to the public.

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This allows it to raise the funds to purchase and distribute new toys, in addition to buying specialist items such as sensory or fidget toys - which are rarely donated – to give to some of Sheffield’s most vulnerable children. The project is completely not-for-profit.

With reliance on food banks in Sheffield having soared in 2020, Ms Cooper outlines the importance of keeping The Joybank open year-round, as those families unable to afford food will inevitably be unable to buy their child a birthday gift, for example.

The Joybank welcomes donations of clean, good quality toys, games and books at 630 Abbeydale Road.