Children’s Christmas Present Appeal 2021

Once again, we received fantastic support from members of the Vintners’ Company for this year’s Salvation Army Children’s Christmas Appeal which, when member donations were combined with match funding from the Vintners’ Foundation, and a generous 20% discount from John Lewis, enabled us to purchase the equivalent of £19,000.00 worth of children’s presents.

This is our highest Christmas total since our online appeal started in 2014 and it really does make such an important and positive social impact for families who need help at Christmas time.  With that said, the need is still very much apparent and, if anything, even greater following the affects on so many by Covid-19.

This year we did manage to hold our ‘Christmas Present Wrapping Day’ at Vintners’ Hall on Friday 10 December following last year’s cancellation due to Covid restrictions.  Now a ‘must attend’ event, we had over 30 members and friends turn up to assist with wrapping over 1,300 presents.  These were then transported over to St James Garlickhythe church where they were placed beneath the tree to be collected and distributed by the Salvation Army closer to Christmas.

Many hands really do make light work and everything was finished in time for lunch and appropriate refreshments just after 1.00pm.

Once again thank you to all of you who have supported this appeal and in particular, may I also thank Liveryman Sam Lindo of Camel Valley Vineyard for sponsorship of the wrapping day by providing some well-earned refreshments!