YOU’RE GIVING, and you’re not showing signs of stopping!
Organisers of The Giving Tree are struggling to keep up with demand for the annual festive appeal that ensure no child in Wokingham goes without this Christmas.
For more than 18 years, the generous people of Wokingham and the surrounding area have dug deep to make sure less fortunate youngsters stay on Santa’s list.
The idea is simple. You choose a tag from one of the many Giving Trees across the borough, buy the gift on the tag and return it – unwrapped – to the tree.
Big-hearted volunteers then go to work to get the presents to the local charities benefiting from the appeal and make sure they go to children whose stockings might otherwise have been empty on Christmas morning.
It looks like this year will be a terrific one for The Giving Tree.
Gill Mckernan, from Barnardo’s High Close School, organises the appeal with a team of volunteers including the kind staff at Transform Housing, who sort and store all the gifts for the charities to collect.
“The kind people of the local area have once again shown their generosity by supporting The Giving Tree 2019.
“As soon as I put the tags on the trees, they are taken. All the venues have got the tags on their trees but they won’t be on them for long – so if you want to buy a gift for a disadvantaged child this Christmas you had better hurry!
“The requests this year range from baby toys and clothes to teenagers’ electrical goods and vouchers. The prices range from a few pounds up to a maximum of £20”
On behalf of all the charities who benefit from the Giving Tree, I want to say a huge thank you for making a child’s Christmas a happier time.
“Any present will put a smile on the face of a child at Christmas.
“All shoppers need to do is choose a tag, buy the gift suggested and return it, unwrapped to the place where they collected the tag from. The children ask for such a variety of gifts and there is always something you can find to buy at all different prices.”
She added: “I would like to say a huge thank you to PWC who have printed the tags and posters again this year as well as supporting the appeal by buying lots of gifts. Also to all the businesses who are hosting a tree this year.”
Wokingham Town Mayor Cllr Lynn Forbes was pleased to have attended the launch event.
” I’m delighted to support The Giving Tree because it’s just an excellent idea that seems to be growing year on year. If you can buy an extra gift to make someone else’s Christmas, find a tree near you and send it with love.
“It’s important to make a child’s Christmas.”
Where to find a Giving Tree
- Morrisons, Woosehill
- Newbury Building Society, Wokingham
- Nirvana Spa, Sindlesham
- Sedero Lounge, Wokingham
- Tesco Warfield
- Tesco Wokingham
- Wokingham Library
- Wokingham Borough Council
Businesses with trees
These trees are not open to the public
- Artizian Catering Services
- BCD Travel
- Century Link
- Dell UK
- Peacfinance
- Premier Research
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- RSA Security
- Sage UK
- Simply Commerce
Charities that benefit
- Barnardo’s
- Berkshire Women’s Aid
- Building For The Future
- Children with Special Needs Foundation
- Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centre
- First Days
- Home Start
- Kaleidoscopic UK
- Look Ahead Care and Support
- Sebastians Action Trust
- Transform Housing
- Wokingham Young Carers
