1,300 children and young people receive gifts and 490 families receive food hampers across Essex this Christmas

Christmas gifts, food hampers and welcome donations have all made a real difference this Christmas as children’s charity, Kids Inspire refused to let the pandemic come between a child and a gift.

With measured restrictions in place, the annual appeal, which usually attracts huge volunteer support, was scaled back (a little!) and nominations for the most vulnerable children across Essex were made by schools, social workers, and other health care professionals.

A difficult year for so many led to high numbers of nominations, but in return supporters of the Essex-based children’s mental health charity gifted, donated and even ran their own collections points within local communities to meet demand. 

The appeal

Lane Line, an individual supporter from Basildon collected and donated 220 hampers and many other gifts. On behalf of everyone that helped Lane, she said:  "I have lived in Basildon my whole life and have seen the changes happen, it is easy to see how kids may need your help more than ever. The work you all do is amazing and for us as a team to be able to support you in such a small way is our pleasure."

The generosity and support did not stop there, with schools and corporate supporters also getting involved in the festive project.

Shenfield School ran a competition amongst their Year 8 & 10 students to see who could best decorate the 35 hampers gifted to Kids Inspire. Some children even wrote their own cards and made Christmas crackers for the recipients.

Corporate supporters, Utilize and Birketts, were among the many donating, gifting, and offering support to wrap and deliver across Essex - with restrictions in place, continuous bulk support has been important to help minimise risk. Dan from Utilize said: "I really enjoyed being able to help, it really is inspirational. Keep up the fantastic work!”

The nominations

Schools and other health care professionals are the source of nominations for gifts and hampers, this year in particular emotions among them have been running high. A Head Teacher at a Chelmsford-based Primary School was brought to tears when gifts were delivered, while Mountnessing Primary School said: "We were overwhelmed with how much there was, the parents are going to be so grateful."

A member of the North Quadrant Health Visiting team who nominates children for the appeal every year, commented: "This week I dropped off some presents for a family who are really struggling financially.  They were absolutely delighted to have something for their little ones. They couldn't thank me enough, but I kept telling them I was only the delivery person, and they came from Kids Inspire! I also spoke to the children's keyworker at preschool, and she said they had been really worried that the children wouldn't have anything to open at Christmas, so this has put their minds at rest".

Kids Inspire felt it important to run the Christmas Appeal in its 10th year regardless of the circumstances, because of the role the children’s mental health charity, and in this case the Christmas Appeal, plays within the local community.

Vicky Haylock Operations Manager at Kids Inspire, said: “As with all things at Kids Inspire, our Christmas Appeal started with a child at the centre, a child who we knew wouldn’t quite have the Christmas they deserve. This Christmas we appreciate it is going to be tough for some families. We do not want to see any child go without, so regardless of the circumstances the Christmas Appeal, with a few changes in place, went ahead.  We hope that the 1,200 gifts and hampers will give the children, young people and their families receiving them a welcome festive treat.”

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