Generous residents make it a Christmas to remember for vulnerable children
The Inspire Bucks annual appeal to give Christmas gifts to Buckinghamshire’s vulnerable children and young people has broken its £10,000 target, thanks to the enthusiastic generosity of the county’s residents, businesses and community groups.
With the money raised – and the kind donation of hundreds of presents by wellwishers – the charity has provided more than 1,700 Buckinghamshire children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with a Christmas gift this year. That’s an increase of around 500 on last year.
The presents will be distributed to children and young people by Buckinghamshire Council Children’s Social Care teams in time for Christmas.
“Absolutely fantastic!” said Inspire Bucks Chairman Paul Irwin, paying tribute to the hundreds of donors who helped the charity burst its target in a little over six weeks. “The generosity that people have shown towards our vulnerable children and young people in difficult circumstances has been beyond our expectations. Thank you so much for enabling us to help a record number of children this year!”
Cash donations have come through the charity’s GoFundMe page, gifts have been dropped off at collection points around the county, Stoke Park Hotel in the south of the county shipped 500 presents to the Inspire Bucks office in Aylesbury High Street, and Amersham fundraiser Edward Brown added more than £1,700 in sponsorship by posting photos of himself on his own GoFundMe page, wearing a prized medal in unusual places.
Adding to the gifts bonanza this year were also the Council’s Helping Hands team, the Getaway Foundation, and Tony Martin, of the Marlow Masonic Centre.
Paul said: “I’d like to say a big thank-you not only for this generosity, but also to the Inspire Bucks volunteers who helped with the purchasing, sorting and packing that ensured each child or young person received something suited to their age and interests.”
The appeal, now in its seventh year, aims to give festive gifts to vulnerable children and young people in Buckinghamshire who otherwise might not receive much – or anything – at Christmas. This year Inspire Bucks took on hosting the appeal from Buckinghamshire Council.
