Hucknall woman launches present appeal to help vulnerable and disadvantaged children this Christmas

Julia Lindo, aged 47, has launched an appeal to buy a present for any family that needs help this festive season, to ensure every child has a present to open on Christmas morning.

She has teamed up with The Nottingham Building Society on Hucknall’s High Street, and the town’s George Street Working Men’s Club to collect presents for children.

She said: “I work a lot with Help the Homeless and we’ve done a lot with them over the years.

“This year, there are a lot of families who are going to struggle and children might not get much or any presents at all, so I put a post on Facebook to say if there’s any parents struggling, I wouldn’t mind buying children some presents and to please get in touch.

“The response has been overwhelming, firstly on the Pay It Forward site in Hucknall and then I was approached by The Nottingham, who said they would like to get involved.

“They’ve arranged a collection point at the branch on High Street and the George Street Club has also offered to be a collection point as well.”

The age groups of children of families asking for support has varied greatly from four-year-olds right up to children aged 16-21, who are supported or in care.

But regardless of age, they all need support and care, especially at Christmas and Julia wants to help.

She said: “I’ve put this out on Facebook and The Nottingham has been telling its customers.

“What people can do is buy a present, wrap it, put on the age group and sex of the child it’s for and then can drop it off at The Nottingham in Hucknall or the George Street Working Men’s Club."

The appeal has been running for two weeks now and the response has been massive.

Julia said: “We’ve had a huge response from the ladies at The Nottingham, the Arc Cinema has donated 51 cinema tickets, Wilko has donated and so have several other local shops in Hucknall and I’d like to thank them all.”

The appeal is running until the second week of December and there will be big a event at the George Street Club on December 13 where anyone who has asked for their child to be put forward for the scheme can come and collect their presents.

Julia said: “Something like this is important because, as we all know, it’s a struggle at the moment with living costs and I do know, from working with them, that kids in care can get forgotten about and I just think this year it would be nice to spread a bit of love and happiness.”