AS WOKINGHAM’S Giving Tree Scheme draws to a festive close, organiser Gill Mckernan thanks the borough’s generous shoppers.
The gift-giving project gives people an opportunity to buy a present for a borough child who would otherwise have nothing to open on Christmas morning.
Special Giving Trees have been visited by those wishing to support the cause.
Taking a gift tag from a tree, shoppers have been buying the requested item and returning it to the same tree.
Presents have been arriving in great numbers, to be distributed by participating charities to youngsters whose families are struggling this year.
“I have been blown away by the generosity of the local people of Wokingham, Bracknell and the surrounding area,” said Gill Mckernan.
“The gift tags have been taken as quickly as they have been put on the trees.”
With just a few tags remaining, anyone still wishing to contribute should head quickly to one of The Giving Trees, at:
Tescos Wokingham, Warfield, and Martins Heron; Wokingham Library; Wokingham Newbury Building Society;
Wokingham Borough Council offices; and Nirvana Spa, Winnersh.
Businesses have also been encouraging their employees to take part in the scheme, with giving trees set up at:
PriceWaterHouseCoopers, BDO, Simply Digital Group, and Guardian Financial Services, Reading, and at: Airlife, Basingstoke, and Ariat, Oxfordshire Group 1 MINI, and Infor Ltd, Farnborough, and TMC Pharma Services, Hartley Wintney.
Gifts will be distributed to children by charities:
Transform Housing Home Start Dingley’s Promise
Kaleidoscopic UK Berkshire Women’s Aid
Berkshire Vision Barnardo’s The Cow Shed
First Days The Link Foundation Reading Family Aid.
Gill thanks First Days Children’s Charity for providing a gift collection point, PWC for printing tags and posters, and Wokingham Library for hosting the scheme’s launch.
She also thanks everyone who has bought presents, and all the businesses, shops, and charities taking part.
Thanks to their combined efforts and generosity, many children will have a special gift to open this year.
“Gifts have been so carefully chosen,” she said, “and many have had extras added to make the gift even more special.
“There are going to be some very happy children on Christmas morning.”
