Hartlepool Mail readers thanked for backing our joint Christmas Gift campaign with MKS Building Supplies

Hundreds of you responded to the annual Christmas Gift appeal by the Mail and the town’s MKM Building Supplies – donating almost 600 presents - to make sure youngsters in the area wake up on Christmas Day to a gift they would otherwise not have received.

Your generosity – despite the cost of living crisis – has been praised by both the Mail and MKM bosses.

Mick Sumpter, branch director at MKM, in Burn Road, where the presents were dropped off, said: "Once again, people in Hartlepool have delivered to help those in need.

"It’s been another fantastic year, nearly 600 gifts with 19 schools and charities collecting them for children in the town.

"A massive thanks goes out to all those who have given. You have been so generous, this appeal wouldn’t survive without you.”

He added: "Our last recipient was a young single mother with four children. She was telling us how hard this year had been and before we could hand over the gifts she broke into a flood of tears, she was so relieved and grateful that she had finally found some gifts for her children this Christmas.

"Moments like this give us the motivation to do it all again next year.

“My thanks also go to Jane Plant who co-ordinated the appeal here at MKM.”

MKM was the drop off point for donations and also the pick up point for community groups and charities.

Hartlepool Mail editor Gavin Ledwith thanked MKM and everyone who donated.

He said: “Every year we appeal to our readers to step up and help those in need and every year, no matter how challenging their own circumstances are, they step up.

"Once again people in Hartlepool have responded magnificently to help others. Our thank go out to you all and we wish you all an enjoyable holiday period yourselves.”

Among the organisations which were helped with your donations were: Mental health charity Let’s Connect, Families First, Hartlepool Carers, Eskdale Academy, Kilmarnock Road Children and Young People’s Centre, the Belle Vue Centre, Stranton Academy and Human Kind.