Episode 5 Sister Rita to the Rescue

Across Britain, in hundreds of towns, cities and neighbourhoods,

people are struggling with everyday worries

that have got on top of them.

But there ARE places to turn,

even if it seems that no-one else will help.

This centre is one of them,

made unique by the woman that runs it.

A nun for 50 years...

HONKS HORN

Bye-bye!

..she's made it her mission to get this community back on its feet

and make a real difference to the lives of as many people as she can,

in her own particular way.

They don't call me the Formidable Sister Rita for nothing.

Today, Sister Rita looks set to get her hands dirty with

an ambitious new plan to grow supplies for the food bank.

We know this is going to cost, but, you know, the money will come.

You're doing this for everyone in Collyhurst. Not just for us.

The Sister also celebrates 50 years of being a nun in a racy way!

-How fast would you like to go?

-About 140.

Don't be scared, Chris. Everything will be fine.

And Christmas comes to Collyhurst,

as Sister Rita throws a party for the community

to celebrate everything they've achieved.

Community is about working together

and you can't buy that.

APPLAUSE

It's December in Collyhurst, Manchester, and,

as the Lalley drop-in centre and food bank opens its doors to visitors,

the team is gearing up for its busiest time of the year.

-SANTA:

-# The weather outside is frightful

# But the fire is so delightful. #

Away from the festive preparations, it's business as usual.

Right, these are the announcements and they're very important.

And running the show here, with a style all of her own,

is team leader Sister Rita.

Blimey! What's wrong with you lot?

It really makes my brain tired.

The Sister's ruled the roost at the Lalley since it first opened

seven years ago and in that time, she's made it her mission to give

out practical help and information to everyone who needs it.

This is exciting and you need to listen to this.

And there's a good reason,

why the centre's visitors refer to her as The Formidable Sister Rita!

Are you listening or not?

Is the middle table going to drive me crackers or what?

We can't have two people talking cos I'm deaf,

and I can only hear one and that's me!

With the festive season just round the corner,

unsurprisingly, Sister Rita has a whole host of ideas

as to how she can help as many people as she can.

Every year we do toys for your children, brand-new toys.

Every one of you who are interested, you have to be on benefits.

We're not a shop, but we do want the children to have decent toys

and they WILL be decent toys.

Sister Rita's annual Christmas Toy Appeal

has become one of the highest profile activities she organises

to help the local community,

which has one of the highest rates of poverty in the UK.

We have to work very hard to get the toys, but we have a mission here

to make sure that those toys go to the homes that really need them.

She's planning to make this year's toy appeal bigger than ever,

but the Sister's also come up with a new idea

she hopes will benefit local residents all year round.

She wants to develop an allotment on the land behind the Lalley Centre

to grow a regular supply of fruit and veg for the food bank.

You need to bring big bags next time.

Sister Rita and her deputy Max work hard to keep the Lalley food bank

stocked with donations from both local and national companies.

Currently, however, they don't get as wide a range of fresh produce

as the Sister would like.

So her plans for the allotment

could transform what the team is able to provide.

NHS figures suggest the number of people being admitted to hospital

with malnutrition in the UK has risen by more than 50%

over the last four years.

And, though that's the extreme, Sister Rita sees plenty of people

coming to the Lalley who can't afford enough nutritious food.

Tim, two more, please.

The allotment by the side of the centre will help tackle that.

So, to discuss what's feasible, the Sister is meeting Mark

from national environmental charity, Groundwork,

and Margot, from a local community action co-operative, Big Local.

-Right, Mark. Are you able to do this?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

We've got a green team ready in place,

so as soon as we get the lease agreement,

-we are able to get the landscape architect doing the design.

-Yes.

Then we've got a steady programme of work for the next six months

-to deliver it.

-But it will be big costing, won't it?

There's quite a bit in the clearance.

-It's going to be in the order of 20,000-30,000.

-Yeah.

Well, everything that's going to be produced here is going to go back

-into the community so it's most worthwhile.

-OK.

I'm very confident that we can have it up and running

and that we'll have volunteers who will be interested

and indeed people who want to do more.

We know this is going to cost,

but you know the money will come.

Determined that the money WILL come, Sister Rita sets about securing

the cash for the allotment through a combination of funding from the

Big Local co-operative, Manchester City Council and a private donor.

Once that's sorted, a few weeks later, Mark's green team move in

and get things under way.

Right, Mark. What's going on here today?

OK. Well, the works have started this morning.

We've got the machine in behind us and he's creating an access track

-down to the bottom and then he's clearing all the bramble.

-OK.

By the end of today, all of that will be cleared

so you'll be able to see everything, the whole site in one go.

-Even all these brambles in the middle?

-All of that.

-They'll all be gone?

-Yeah.

That is phenomenal.

Just as satisfying for Sister Rita as the work starting,

is the fact that Mark is investing in a group of young trainees from

the local area who he's committed to pay for the next six months.

Where are all these lovely, young people?

They're putting a fence up just behind the bramble.

-They're starting the fence.

-In the rain?

-Yes, yes.

-God forgive you, Mark!

-Yes.

One of the trainees on the allotment team is 21-year-old Beth.

I was going to the job club in the Lalley Centre and I got speaking

to Sister Rita and she told me about this, so it's pretty exciting.

Beth is a young single mum who has been looking to get back to work

since her four-year-old son started school...

Shall we have a race?

..and she's pleased to be part of Sister Rita's project.

It's a job, I'm getting paid, and I've got the enjoyment of knowing

it will change people's lives.

Beth hopes it's not just the Lalley visitors

who will benefit from her job at the allotment.

I want my son to see me going to work,

so then it becomes the norm for him.

I'd rather let him know that you've got to earn money

instead of just sitting at home.

I don't really want him to know that much about the job centre.

I want to give my son the best start in life, the best opportunities.

Also working to create the allotment is 23-year-old Wes.

I've been looking for work for around four to five months

because I've got a baby on the way

and I need to be the breadwinner in the house.

Plus it's good for him as well so he can see that I'm coming home

getting dirty, so he can say,

"Oh, Daddy, I want to be a ground worker just like you."

Sister Rita is delighted to see these young trainees so enthusiastic

about putting something back into the local community.

She believes the more they invest in something like this,

the more they'll stick with it,

until they've achieved something they can be proud of.

You're doing a brilliant job

and I can't believe what's been done already.

Thank you so much.

-You'll be able to look and say, "We did that."

-Yeah.

You know, "We did that for the whole area"

cos that's what you're doing.

You're doing this for everybody in Collyhurst, not just for us,

so, well done, you, and thank you so much.

Other food banks across Britain

have struck up successful relationships with local allotments.

And, though it's a wet, dreary day,

already Sister Rita can see the difference in this site

and its potential.

The challenge now for Sister Rita's green team recruits

is to see if they can get the allotment site fully transformed

before winter really starts to bite.

# Oh, what a beautiful morning

# Oh, what a beautiful day. #

Buoyed up by the prospects for one of her projects,

Sister Rita's on her way to discuss another.

She's off to a planning meeting

to organise the Lalley's annual Christmas toy appeal,

which collects and distributes toys to families who can't afford them,

not just in Collyhurst, but across Manchester.

The Christmas toy project is a massive project.

People and families who are very poor

and can't afford to get a decent present for the children

come into the Lalley Centre and we give them the toys so that no child,

hopefully, in and around Manchester

is suffering on Christmas morning because they haven't got anything.

The aim is that children

living in the most underprivileged parts of the city

will each be provided with a sack of gifts

that includes a main present, a selection box

and various stocking fillers.

Last year, nearly 800 sacks were given out

to families who might otherwise have had to resort

to more desperate measures to ensure their children

don't go without at Christmas.

It's the loan sharks - oh, they're a nightmare.

They are in Collyhurst,

we all know they're illegal, but that doesn't matter,

they are still there,

making people's lives totally and utterly miserable.

All that is part and parcel

of the pressure on parents when Christmas comes.

Massive pressure.

The appeal's been running for several years

and the woman Sister Rita has entrusted with the task

of pulling it all together is volunteer Dee.

Hello, Dee, how are you?

Very well.

God, I need that hug, anyway.

Dee first became involved in the toy appeal three years ago

when she helped Sister Rita

give out 230 gift sacks throughout Manchester.

As the appeal began to grow, she offered to co-ordinate the project

for the Sister from her home

in the more affluent surroundings of Cheshire.

There's a few changes we'll make this year, Sister.

We've learnt there's a big difference

between a six-year-old boy and an eight-year-old boy

and what toys they would like.

We'll target specific individual age groups.

We think it will be easier for sorting.

We'll definitely add batteries to all the toys again.

It costs money, but we realise you can't give toys

-and not put batteries on them.

-I think that's wise.

The toy appeal relies largely on donations from businesses

and both Sister Rita and Dee are keen to get the word out

to as many people as possible.

We've set up a Facebook page just to help with the fundraising, really.

I'll get the Just Giving page set up once I speak to Max.

And you've got volunteers?

Yeah, we'll have about 60 or 70

-lined up to help us again this year.

-Good, OK.

It might be an idea if I could say, could I go on the radio?

Yeah, and put an appeal out.

Could I go on the radio, because, you know,

we cannot take toys, you know, the day before Christmas Eve.

It's too late to organise them.

It's too late to get to distribute them.

-Yeah.

-I might just ask them.

They wouldn't be able to donate in Collyhurst.

You feel great satisfaction that, you know,

children are going to be looked after this year.

All sorts of charities, organisations and radio stations

will be running toy appeals around the UK this Christmas.

But Sister Rita is determined that HERS

will be bigger than ever before.

She's set a target of putting together a thousand sacks.

But even with 70 volunteers, collecting and sorting

hundreds of toys and gifts is quite a task

and one she's very happy to leave in the hands of Dee.

I salute Dee so much.

She's got the toy appeal off to a fine art.

Now, you get nothing off to a fine art

without a tremendous amount of work and energy, sweat and tears

and I'm so grateful to her.

Back at the Lalley

and one of the centre's more regular activities is underway.

The Lalley Centre is home to a weekly job club

which provides assistance to those looking for work,

in particular helping with new job applications

and keeping CVs up-to-date.

Nationally, more than half a million people

are classed as being long-term unemployed,

defined as being without a job for anything over 12 months.

Unemployment in this area is higher than average.

Trying to get a job in Collyhurst...

..is not easy.

Men, especially, I kind of think they're a bit vulnerable.

Some of them have been made redundant

and they're on the computer,

they apply for job after job -

they don't even get an answer to say, "Thanks for your application."

Nothing.

And you can see it in their eyes, you know.

The hope is beginning to fade.

One of the regulars at the job club is John.

I've been looking for about three years now for a job.

I would rather work. I don't like going to sign on.

My life's been better when I've had a job.

I do other things. It gives me other options.

I haven't got internet at home, so I can come for two hours

and get a lot of help off people.

In those two hours at the job club,

John is able to apply for around five jobs a week.

So far, he's had no success, but he tries hard to remain positive.

I get replies saying, "Unfortunately unsuccessful this time."

It is a bit disheartening, but every now and then,

I will get an interview, so I'll keep going,

I'll keep trying, that's what you've got to do.

John has been working with the main man at the job club, Mark,

to make sure what he's sending out to potential employers

looks as professional as possible.

With John, we're doing a lot of work on, "How's your CV looking?

"Why have you got one CV if you're looking for three types of work?

"Let's have three CVs on the go.

"Let's have four cover letters

"that are geared towards the different jobs."

In the last three years,

John has become used to getting knockbacks,

but rather than be beaten by that,

he's filled his time by throwing himself into the volunteering he does

collecting bags of clothes for a charity.

I'd rather come out doing stuff like this than being sat at home

just watching the television all day.

It keeps me fit and active and I like it.

John works like he's being paid. He's got enthusiasm.

John's colleague Sue is in no doubt that he'd be a good bet

for any employer looking to hire new staff.

I'd really miss him, but it's what he needs.

He needs a job and whoever gets him, they'll be glad.

He'd be valued. There's something about John.

There is.

-Count them.

-Right.

Two.

John's optimistic attitude is music to the ears of Sister Rita,

who's keen to get as many of the Lalley's visitors as she can

off benefits and back into work.

I want people to work, we all do.

I'm always saying to them

"You will never be rich on benefits - forget it.

"Go out and get a job."

Now, at last, John's been invited to a job interview,

his first in three years,

and a longed-for opportunity to get back to full-time work.

I've got an interview today.

It's working in a warehouse, order picking

and packing for a large company.

So, yeah, there's a lot resting on it.

It's not a part-time job or just Christmas work.

It's going to mean a lot for me if I get a full-time job.

I'm very nervous, but I'll give it my best shot, see how I go on.

Interview over and John seems hopeful about his chances.

It went really well, actually.

I thought I'd be really nervous, but I wasn't.

I told them that I do voluntary work as well,

so they took that into consideration as well.

All that's been wrote down as they're interviewing me.

They're going to let me know in a week,

so it's that exciting.

I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep for days now!

But a few days later,

when John hears back from the company,

it's not good news.

I was a bit gutted at first, but there's plenty more jobs.

I've applied for five today and I'll just keep carrying on.

John won't let even this experience get him down

and he's determined to use it to his advantage.

I think the positive thing was at least I got an interview.

The negative is, obviously, I didn't get the job!

That's the only thing that's negative about it,

cos I'm more positive than negative.

I will keep applying for work.

I know you're gutted, but you know what?

You'll get the one that's right for you.

I'll just carry on. I'm determined.

Yeah, you are. That's what you have to do, love.

-Well done for trying anyway.

-OK.

The ongoing encouragement provided by Sister Rita and her team

makes all the difference to people who depend

on the support they get from the Lalley.

And once they're back on their feet,

some of them are keen to find a way to repay her.

John Hughes had to rely on the centre's help

after his IT job in Thailand

unexpectedly ended and he had to return to the UK.

When he first visited the food bank, he hadn't eaten for eight days

and was living in a flat with no bed to sleep on.

I've got two single duvets.

I put one on the floor, lie on it and the other one covers me up.

The Lalley's food bank provided him with a lifeline

and the Sister's team also managed to sort him out with a bed for his flat.

This will be nice and warm.

Yeah, well chuffed.

After the assistance he's had and with his finances now back on track,

John wants to give something back to others who may be struggling

and he's come up with an idea to help him do it.

I find computers quite easy,

but I know that there's a lot of people out there that don't.

I realised I did have skills that I could pass on

to make a difference to somebody else.

I just thought, "Well, possibly, I may be able to do this as a living,

"actually start my own business."

The business end of John's idea

centres on him charging for his technical know-how

to help new companies get online.

But alongside that, he wants to offer his skills

free of charge to visitors at drop-in centres like the Lalley,

so he can teach people the basics and help them feel more confident.

And it's this part of the plan he's most passionate about.

Nowadays there's no access to jobs, other than being online

and, you know, there's a big skills gap between certain generations.

So if they haven't got the computer skills, you haven't got a chance.

John's already helping run computer sessions

at another drop-in centre close to his home

and he's enjoying the sense of achievement they're giving him.

There was a lady in here that had no knowledge at all of computers.

The minute she says, "I've got it,"

how do you think that makes me feel?

So, yeah, it's an amazing feeling.

But John has a particular debt to the Lalley,

so he wants to talk to Sister Rita

about setting up a computer club there too.

I've seen the skills gap

and sometimes you do have to walk them through it several times

to ensure that they can switch a computer on, access the job search,

otherwise they get their benefits stopped.

I know there are people who need it.

Even if you took one person to begin with

and teach them the basic skills of using the computer,

that would be a tremendous help.

Sister Rita's delighted with the idea.

She gets real pleasure from seeing John's life back on track

and a computer club will be yet another string to the Lalley's bow.

But amidst all the plans to boost what she brings to the community,

even Sister Rita needs the occasional treat.

The one she's about to have is a real corker.

CAR ENGINES ROAR

The Sister's been celebrating her 50th year as a nun

and to cap that off, she's come to Oulton Park racetrack in Cheshire

to indulge in one of her passions - fast cars.

I like cars, I like fast driving.

I think it's about my character - I want to get places in life,

with people, with jobs, with relationships, with everything.

I want to get places with them and I want to get places fast.

And I think that that comes out in the driving.

It's not normal for a nun to like speed

and to like cars I guess as much as I do, but then I'm not normal.

As a special present,

her friends have clubbed together

to help make one of her dreams come true.

She's about to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari.

-Not a very nice day, is it?

-Well, it's not very nice,

but it makes it a little bit more challenging.

-Does it?

-Yeah.

-SHE CHUCKLES

We're up for a challenge, sir.

Of course, Sister Rita does nothing by halves

and she's determined today will be no exception.

Well, I want to see how much speed I can get up to.

Could I get it to 100, 120?

That would do it for me.

There's no use getting into a car and going around 70 or 80 miles.

I'm kind of used to doing that.

I'm really up for it.

-Samantha Moseley?

-Here.

-Have we got Sister Rita?

-Here.

-Thank you.

To watch her in action, a small army of well-wishers from Manchester

has arrived to cheer her on,

led by old friend Sister Collette.

When Sister was celebrating her golden jubilee,

she said, "I'd love to go round a racetrack,"

so we've paid for this day for her to come here,

so that's why we're here to support her.

I think it's wonderful that I have the support

from one of my own Sisters and she's bringing a load of people with her.

They paid for it, they've actually sent me here.

I should go over and shout at them!

Sister Collette has even gone the extra mile to make sure

things go as smoothly as possible.

I've blessed the driver that you're going round with.

I thought he'd need it.

And when Sister Rita meets the instructor

taking her round the circuit,

it looks like her old friend may just have a point.

-What's your name?

-Chris.

Chris. I don't want to do 80mph.

How fast would you like to go?

About 140.

Don't be scared, Chris - everything will be fine.

Right now, Sister Rita sounds like she's in a confident mood.

Oh, no, it's too small.

-I must have a big head.

-You've got a big head.

I must have a big head.

-How's that?

-That's better.

But it seems even she isn't averse to a few uncharacteristic nerves.

I would really prefer to race round that track in my own car

and not in a Ferrari.

I know exactly how far I can push the car that I drive.

I haven't a clue when it comes to this, so, well,

let's see what happens.

I'm out of my comfort zone here, absolutely!

Maybe for the first time.

HEAVY METAL BASS GUITAR RIFF

Before she knows it, she's off,

opening up the throttle on the track.

ENGINE REVS

HEAVY METAL MUSIC

Turn in to apex, that's that nice, smooth motion that I said,

so you turn it across the circuit now, bring it into your apex.

OK, power on now.

HEAVY METAL MUSIC

I think she's getting on all right!

I'd like to know what she's saying while she's driving!

Not doing much speeding, though.

Am I?

I can't see the speedo where I am.

That's it, that's it! Keep the power going like that.

As the flying nun pushes through the 100 mile an hour barrier,

she appears to be handling the challenge in a way her

watching friends have now come to expect.

Well, it's just Sister Rita.

SHE LAUGHS

Just Sister Rita, the kind of thing she would want to do.

I think she's a fantastic woman in everything she does.

She's wonderful.

She's an inspiration to us all.

As the Sister arrives back in the pit lane,

it looks like it's been the perfect way to mark her 50th year as a nun.

CROWD CHEERS AND APPLAUDS

It was a memorable day.

It was an exciting day, and a little bit of fear in me,

I suppose, if I'm honest.

You are hoping you'll never get anyone like me again.

(LAUGHING) Oh, don't be daft. I enjoyed that, it was good fun.

-Nice to meet you.

-I hope your next one will be easier.

-Thank you.

While Sister Rita's been speeding round the track,

the toy appeal has also been picking up a pace.

The aim is to collect enough toys and gifts to give out to

families that might be struggling to afford presents this Christmas.

With her army of volunteers, Dee's been busy targeting

companies across the UK to persuade them to donate.

But they've got their work cut out to fill the 1,000 sacks

that Sister Rita's set as this year's target.

We're a charity based in Manchester and we're looking

to see whether you could help us with our

charity Christmas toy appeal.

Fantastic. I'll do that. I'll send an email straightaway.

Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

We get quite a lot of 'no's.

We get the occasional 'yes', but maybe nine times out of ten

it's a 'no'. It's a bit disheartening. But you've just

got to pick yourself up and pick the next one to ring on the list.

The hard work is paying off.

Deliveries of toys and gifts are beginning to arrive.

So, today we've got a few deliveries coming.

One from a teddy bear charity, where they're going to be

donating 800 teddies that we'll make sure will go to each

child that we give a Christmas sack to.

-Have you got it?

-All right.

Emotional. Just, yeah. It's fantastic,

to see people that want to help you and are so behind what we do

and care so much about the kids we help.

Sister Rita is doing her bit to drum up donations, too, by doing

an interview about the toy appeal on one of the local radio stations.

-FEMALE VOICE:

-BBC Radio Manchester.

Sister, I know that you have a toy appeal, don't you?

Yes. What we really need is brand-new toys

and selection boxes. We would be so grateful if we got some

selection boxes to be sent in, so every child has a decent toy

and a selection box.

-And the central place is the Lalley Centre, then?

-It is.

Dee is on the hunt for those selection boxes, too,

and has started calling round the big name supermarkets.

We were wondering whether or not you'd be able to help us

with some chocolate selection boxes.

I understand. Thanks for letting me know. Thanks for listening. Bye.

PHONE RINGS OUT

We're looking to see whether your company would be able to help us

with a donation of some selection boxes. Would that be possible?

-WOMAN ON PHONE:

-That would absolutely be no problem whatsoever.

Fantastic, that is absolutely music to my ears. Thanks so much. Bye.

Dee's astounded to have secured a donation of hundreds

of selection boxes in just one call,

and quickly shares the news with Sister Rita.

She's really happy.

That's a big relief for Sister as well, because these are families

that she knows inside and out. She's so passionate about this.

So, yeah, that's great. It really is great news.

I think there's a bit of child in every one of us,

and running the toy appeal every year brings lovely memories

back to when we were children, and there's a great

feeling of self-worth, and it's not arrogant and it's not pompous.

It's just a very sincere feeling.

The toy appeal isn't all that Sister Rita's planning for this Christmas.

She's organised a big celebration to bring the community together

and mark the success of everything they've achieved this year.

The children are going to do Christmas carols,

songs and play their orchestra for all of you.

But 2015's not done yet,

and there's plenty more people to help before it's over.

As the Thursday job club comes around, John Hughes is ready

to run his first computer class, open to anyone who'd

benefit from help in getting online.

The 'e' is the internet. That's the icon.

That'll just take you to the internet.

For Sister Rita, this latest innovation is a huge step forward,

especially with so many vital services

becoming increasingly computer-based.

I think IT skills are essential for the future,

and I think that you won't be able to claim benefits unless you

do it all online, and it's very frightening for a lot of people.

I am delighted, John, that you're able to come in.

I did want somebody to teach people computers,

somebody who had a lot of patience.

I'm very pleased with John, that he's come back and offered

his gifts and skills here to help us to help other people.

That, to me, that's what it's all about.

John's ambitions don't stop with the computer club.

As he develops ideas for his own business,

he's signed up for the government's Enterprise Allowance scheme.

He hopes its funding will help him set up a facility

where he can offer paid classes for people who can afford them,

but free training and support for those who can't.

And he's already looking at a place where he can do that.

-This is the main hall.

-Mm-hmm.

-That's the storage area.

-Yeah.

A year ago, I was all but homeless, and because of the experience

I had, I would feel much better in my life if I was actually

doing the same as what people helped me in the last six, 12 months.

I want to do the same, cos it makes me feel good.

I think the actual building's more than adequate.

-We would want it five days a week.

-Right, OK.

-All right?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Fantastic. Off we go.

SHE CHUCKLES

It's early days, but John hopes when his plans come to fruition,

he can start making the sort of difference to other people's lives

that the Lalley Centre had on his.

My life has changed quite considerably,

so, you know, I'm sure whoever's following this will realise

that and, yeah, I'm happy as a pig in a dirty sty.

He knows exactly how to help people, and that's wonderful.

He started in the food bank,

now he's teaching others how to better themselves like he has done.

That's a success story for us.

It gives us resolve to do more for people,

so, really, it's a winner all around.

As Christmas gets closer, the toy appeal is gathering momentum.

And when Dee tells Sister Rita there's a collection waiting

at a local supermarket, the nun heads straight down to pick it up.

-How do you do? I'm Sister Rita.

-Hi, I'm Gail.

Sister Rita's expecting to pick up hundreds of selection boxes -

but there's a surprise waiting for her.

We've donated £1,000-worth of goods for you,

toys aged three plus, these ones,

and then you've got baby toys for their prams and everything else.

Then we've got things for teenagers as well.

Oh, that's wonderful, that.

So many children will be delighted on Christmas morning

when they open them up, so we're very, very grateful to you.

-You're welcome.

-Right, lads, do you want to follow me?

I think it was very generous,

and I was absolutely delighted with the selection boxes.

I mean, they're possibly the biggest expense, really,

outside of the toys, obviously. Yeah, it was great.

I'm very, very happy with it.

Another project going full steam ahead

is the development of the allotment the Sister is planning

to create on land at the back of the Lalley Centre.

With the dual purpose of providing fresh fruit

and vegetables for the food bank,

as well as offering a new way for local volunteers to get involved,

she's keen to make this something the whole community can be proud of.

Community is about helping each other.

It's about being aware of each other.

That, to me, is priceless.

On the allotment site, the ground has now almost been fully cleared,

with just stray roots needing to be pulled up by hand.

The work has been completed by young recruits from the local area,

and as they prepare for the latest inspection

from the Lalley's Big Boss, two of the team, Beth and Wes,

wonder what she'll make of the progress.

What do you think about Sister Rita?

Do you think she'll, like, be happy with this or...?

(CHUCKLING) Yeah. Yeah, I think she'll be really chuffed with it.

Well, if she's not, she'll tell us anyway, like, "Get it done!"

(GIGGLING) Yeah.

"Get it done now! We want it that way!"

But it's immediately clear that Sister Rita is bowled over

by the work so far.

I can't believe the difference that you've made in such a short time,

and you must feel it as well, you must be really pleased.

-I am, I am.

-Yeah.

If progress continues in the same vein, Sister Rita hopes that by

next spring, the site will be ready for the first crops to be planted

and by the middle of the year they'll be

harvesting their own produce to supply the food bank.

People are enthused about this.

They're very interested to know what we're going to do with it.

We might have all the vegetables they want, the fruit trees,

things I wouldn't have even thought of.

So, very, very wonderful, what they've done here.

Well, I think you're doing all right, love, don't you?

-I know. I do myself.

-You're doing very well.

Delighted with you. Keep going the way you're going, then!

While work on the allotment continues,

another of Sister Rita's projects is in its final stages.

Just put them in the sack if you want to

and give them to the logistics, but please don't cable-tie them.

I want Eileen to double-check everything.

The toy appeal donations have now all been collected

and brought to a hall in Cheshire.

Tell Eileen we're still missing some.

And today Dee's marshalling dozens of volunteers to assemble everything

into the sacks they'll be giving out to the families who need them.

I've got a mission to do and we've got to get it done,

so I'm on autopilot right now.

Faced with the mammoth task of making sure 1,000

sacks are ready for Sister Rita,

Dee and her team approach the day like a military operation.

What we've got here is you'll see each sack is a main Christmas

present for a child,

presents for girls aged five, aged ten, 11, we're down to teenagers.

We've got rugby balls, we've got basketballs

and footballs, so that is just fantastic.

We've got softer balls for the younger kids.

There's plenty of work to be done, but the volunteers are more

than happy to give up their time for such a good cause.

It breaks your heart if you think that children like your

children might not get a present and it kind of touches home.

There's so many children out there who are in need,

and I feel very honoured that I can be part of it.

So proud of what we're achieving here today.

It's overwhelming to know that all those children have got

presents on the way. It's just lovely.

And it's an especially emotional day for Dee and her husband Chris.

Chris and I don't have children of our own, sadly.

So Christmas Day we wake up and we think we've got 1,000 kids, nearly.

We can only imagine those kids opening those sacks.

So much love has gone into this that we can only hope that gets

transported to those kids on Christmas morning. I think it will.

Seeing her toy appeal come to such a spectacular head is something

Sister Rita couldn't possibly miss.

Whoo! It's nearly all finished. Wonderful!

The Sister is full of praise for the job that Dee

and the volunteers are doing.

We could not do this without you,

so a massive thank you to each one of you. Thank you.

Give them a clap.

It's masses of work. We're not having 2,000 next year, Chris!

-We're having 3,000!

-No!

Surprise!

I don't think I told you that next year I'm retiring.

No way you're retiring!

You can't keep going for ever and ever, amen, you know.

-You'll be fine.

-It's so bad now that I have to

say to the Sisters every night,

"Listen, if you're talking to God, tell Him I was asking for Him"!

-LAUGHTER

-Because I don't get the time...

It's true!

With the epic job finally complete,

Sister Rita now has 1,000 gift sacks ready to be distributed

to families all over Manchester in the run-up to Christmas.

Max, you'll have to shut this. It's very tight.

It's very heavy, as well.

And once she's back at the Lalley, the Sister begins the huge task

of handing them out to the families she's promised can have one.

To see it coming to a fruitful end is very satisfying for us.

I really hope you have a lovely Christmas.

Thank you very much.

My grandson is only three month, and I would have struggled this year,

so this is a great help to me.

Among those who'll be opening a sack on Christmas Day is

the four-year-old son of allotment worker Beth.

I'm really grateful. She's done a lot.

-This is yours, I do believe.

-Thank you.

I'm really grateful that she's given them to him.

I think this morning really kick-started Christmas

for all of us...

-I hope you have a lovely Christmas.

-Thank you.

..the smiles and the greetings and all of that.

I think that's very, very important.

Father Christmas is specially coming to you!

Thank you so much. We've got Christmas presents!

And the festive spirit at the Lalley doesn't stop there.

After a year that's seen her work tirelessly to bring

the community together, Sister Rita is ready to celebrate

alongside her staff and visitors by holding a Christmas carol concert

with the school next door to the centre.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you St Malachy's School.

# Good tidings we bring

# For you and your kin

# We wish you a merry Christmas

# And a happy new year! #

It's also a time for the Sister to look back on everything that she

and the community she cares so much about

have managed to pull off in the last 12 months.

What have we achieved this year?

Well, it's been a wonderful year, because we now have an allotment.

'It's where you grow wonderful things like potatoes, vegetables,

'fruit trees.'

'The friendship group is growing.

'There are people coming in who really enjoy being together.'

APPLAUSE

The school have also been involved in the litter pick

we had this year and some of the parents

and some of the volunteers from the Lalley Centre.

Now, you remember we went up to London to see the minister,

Iain Duncan Smith?

It's been very good, because anybody who's struggling with

benefits can come in here and you will get help.

APPLAUSE

One of the best things for me about working here is community.

Community is about working together for the greater

good of Collyhurst, and you can't buy that.

Between us all, we really hope to make Collyhurst a much better place.

Thank you. You are very, very, special.

Sister Rita? She's kind-hearted.

She's a warm, genuine, friendly person.

"Passionate" doesn't even cover it. She cares about everyone here.

She works tirelessly fighting the good fight all the time.

She's amazing.

There are hundreds of neighbourhood drop-in centres that offer

the same, sometimes life-changing help and support as the Lalley.

Sister Rita and all the volunteers at the Lalley,

without them I don't know where I'd have been,

so it's given me inspiration.

It's very vital round here,

because there is a lot of people round here that do struggle.

I wouldn't hesitate to come back again any time,

because I know I'd be made to feel welcome.

Other centres, too, will be gearing up for their own Christmas

projects and relying on the efforts of local volunteers

tirelessly mucking in to help.

Thank you, because don't forget whose this centre is.

You guys. All of you. All of you.

But the Lalley has one thing that other centres don't,

Sister Rita herself.

You'll be smiling at the end of the day.

From the minute I met her I liked her.

She made me welcome.

I would say the best thing about her is the compassion to serve people.

She's an absolute diamond. Everyone loves her to bits.

And while she may occasionally talk of retiring, it's hard to

imagine that any time soon she'll tire of making such

a difference to the lives of so many people in Collyhurst and beyond.

People come in after you've done something for them and they're

very emotional, and I get emotional, too. And they say they could

never thank me, and I'm embarrassed about that, really, if I'm honest.

But it does give you a great sense of achievement.

Thank you!

Yes!

I want to do the best that I can do for each one that comes

through the door.

'You're asking for the world, really, stars out of the sky.

'But if you don't ask for the stars out of the sky, you won't get them.'

So they say that when they came in,

they go out of the Lalley Centre much better off.

Now, to me, that's precious, you can't buy it.

And I feel very, very privileged to be part of that.