Media release

Unwrapping the gift of festive giving with Kids Inspire’s Essex Christmas Appeal

Over the last fifteen years, thousands of children, young people, and their families have benefited from gifts and hampers donated to Kids Inspire. This Christmas as the cost of living continues to overwhelm many families the team appeal is anticipating a high demand.

Kids Inspire is inviting supporters to be involved in the Christmas Appeal:

• donate new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present (Amazon Wishlist on the website for inspiration)

• build a festive hamper for families with a selection of festive treats (items to include are on the website)

• donate towards ‘topping up’ gifts or towards the running cost of the appeal

Gifts and hampers will then be wrapped and distributed to those who have been nominated by partners working with children on the front line.

In 2023 a School Inclusion Officer from an Essex school shared with us what a child had said:

"I’ve tried so much harder this year to be good because I must have been bad last year."

Another school shared that a parent broke down in tears when receiving their gift, saying:

“This was the first time in years that I felt like we had a real Christmas, thanks to the kindness of strangers.”

From another perspective, a Domestic Abuse Refugee charity was thankful for gifts, saying:

“Children often leave behind their belongings, so the gifts they receive through your appeal make an enormous difference.”

Vicky Haylock, Chief Operating Officer at Kids Inspire said: “Christmas is usually a time of joy but with the ongoing cost of living crisis we’re already seeing an increase in numbers of children, young people and their families needing our support. We are in no doubt that this year, there will be many families who will struggle this Christmas.”

“Donating a gift will go a long way to making a child’s Christmas that little bit brighter and allows us as an organisation to support those that are most in need.”

Gifts and hampers can be donated any time between now, Monday 14 October and Friday 6 December 2024.

Why does Kids Inspire host a Christmas appeal?

Official government statistics reported that around 14.4 million people were living in poverty in the UK in 2021/2022 – that’s around one in five people.

In 2023, the Christmas Appeal gifted 2,850 children and over 700 families in Essex received hampers.

The Christmas Appeal is a huge collective effort from staff, volunteers, corporate supporters, and the Essex community (and often beyond Essex!) No one's part goes unnoticed, and the team are grateful that everyone comes together to make such a huge impact for so many.

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