A personalised present appeal aiming to make Christmas special for 65 local families has been launched in Shirley.
Organisers at The Salvation Army in Victor Street are looking for donations in their bid to support families in Shirley and Millbrook for whom Christmas 2023 would otherwise be a real struggle.
Donations have dropped in recent years for the appeal, which has been running for more than a decade and gives parents the chance to get fully involved in the process of choosing and wrapping gifts for their little ones, aged between 0 and 17.
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Captain Victoria Crawford, a minister at The Salvation Army in Shirley, told the Daily Echo: "We support families and parents who otherwise wouldn't be able to give their children any - or very few - Christmas presents.
"We've noticed a decline in donations where everyone is feeling the pinch from the cost of living crisis, but the demand upon our appeal continues to increase every year.
"Our service differs slightly to other appeals, due to our smaller scale we can manage to have a more personal touch. We know the families will be very happy with what they've been given."
Families are referred by local schools, charities, doctor's surgeries or other professional bodies and parents have a say in what is donated for their children.
They attend a special event in the last week of the school term where they can wrap the gifts specially chosen for their children, choose from a selection of stocking fillers, festive activities, books and soft toys, and pick up a Christmas food hamper to help feed the family over the festive period.
"It's a lovely event with tea and coffee, mince pies and Christmas music," added Victoria. "Parents can come here, sit and relax and wrap their children's presents. They then feel that they have done something towards their children's Christmas."
Donations can be made in various ways. Either bring a new and unwrapped gift to the church building on Victor Street, contribute to the Just Giving page here or buy something from the Amazon wish list here
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