Great start for Wokingham’s Giving Tree appeal, says founder

THIS year’s Giving Tree appeal to help Santa fill his sleigh has got off to a flying start.

The annual event asks the generous residents of Wokingham and surrounding areas to make sure less fortunate youngsters are visited by Father Christmas.

This year’s Giving Tree launched at a special event held in the Tesco Wokingham superstore on Friday, November 12.

Organiser Gill Mckernan, the woman behind the appeal, said that it is the best start to the annual campaign she has seen and that she has been blown away by the response so far.

“Gifts have started to come in and I’m already delivering more tags to all of the trees,” she said.

“I am being kept busy with it, and I am so thankful to everyone for their generosity so far.”

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It couldn’t be easier to get involved and make sure that no child goes without this Christmas.

Residents are asked to choose a tag from one of the trees, buy the gift or voucher requested on it, and return it, unwrapped, to the tree.

All of the children nominated for gifts are connected with a number of charities, including Barnardo’s, Look Ahead Care, Home Start and Building for the Future.

Volunteers from the charities will organise the wrapping and delivering of the gifts in time for Christmas Day.

Trees can be found at several locations throughout the area.

Mrs Mckeran works closely with staff at all locations to deliver tags and collect gifts.

Louise Jedras, Tesco Wokingham’s community champion, said that it is wonderful to see how quickly tags are being taken from the store’s tree and how many gifts have already been donated.

Mrs Jedras said: “Several customers have mentioned to me how pleased they are to see the Giving Tree back and that they have been waiting to collect their tag.”

“The Giving Tree is definitely now a Wokingham Christmas tradition,” she added.

Trees can also be found at: