Caring Council staff, councillors and local people rally round with Christmas presents to help families have a better Christmas

County Council employees and councillors have joined forces with local residents and community groups to support disadvantaged families who will have little or nothing under the tree on Christmas morning.

Through December, Council employees and councillors donated and amassed hundreds of Christmas presents for local disadvantaged children. The presents will be handed over to the children and young people’s families by members of the Council’s social care teams in time for Christmas. The Christmas present appeal has been led by Paul Irwin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transportation.

The Council’s present appeal was in addition to a large number of presents collected and donated by local residents as well as a variety of local community groups: Aylesbury’s Salvation Army Church, St John’s Church at Ashley Green, RAF Halton, the Women’s Guild of Thame, 94 Coffee Shop, Adele Peters Performing Arts School, Salon 14, Richings Park Residents Association and Grove Road Primary School in Tring.

Paul said: “I am incredibly moved by the outstanding generosity and kindness shown by everyone involved. We have received hundreds of donated presents from our brilliant employees and local communities and we are totally overwhelmed by the response.

“I found it a very humbling experience meeting the social workers when they sorted through the presents. They told me about where the presents were going and how they would be used, and they were so excited themselves knowing they could take presents to people who would otherwise have nothing. Our social workers have a very hard job and do it brilliantly – on behalf of the County Council I would like to say thank you and wish them all a happy Christmas.

“We are also extremely grateful to the local residents and community groups who have all yet again shown their generosity of spirit by collecting a large number of presents for our disadvantaged children.”

Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “It is so heartening to know that amongst all the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation so many local people are taking time to think of others less fortunate. I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated a present – each one will make a vulnerable child’s Christmas brighter.”