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Middleton Grange shopping centre and town website design business In Studio once again held their Giving Tree campaign in the run up to Christmas to provide children in need with a gift.

And despite the cost-of-living crisis affecting everybody’s finances, the appeal has been another staggering success.

More than 15,000 were donated through In Studio’s virtual Hartlepool Giving Tree.

Middleton Grange security Michael Knight and Jordan Liddle with staff Christine Davis and Charlotte Bunton at the shopping centre's giving tree.

And around 6,000 were given through Middleton Grange’s physical tree.

The campaign works by supporters choosing a gift tag that contains a request for a particular child including their age.

The supporter then simply buys it and sends it to the appeal.

All of the requests come from approved charities and the Hartlepool Giving Tree once again partnered with Bauer Media's Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal to bring more Christmas magic to children across the North East.

Middleton Grange Shopping Centre manager Mark Rycraft. Picture by FRANK REID

Local beneficiaries include Hartlepool Carers and Harbour refuge.

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Middleton Grange manager Mark Rycraft said: “We are absolutely stunned and overwhelmed.

“The team at the centre have done extremely well. For this short time period we have become almost a Santa’s workshop.

Over 15,000 presents for individual children were bought through the online Hartlepool Giving Tree.

"We have worked very closely with Cash For Kids Mission Christmas and their drivers, ferrying backwards and forwards and taking gifts to the warehouse where they have been collected by community groups.”

He thanked In Studio, based in Whitby Street, Hartlepool, for creating and running the Hartlepool Giving Tree website free of charge, as it has done for the last several years.

Mission Christmas was so successful across the whole North East this year that additional reserve gift requests were able to be met.

Mr Rycraft added: “It has been able to fulfil requested needs of as many families as possible across the North East and accepting more than 38,000 requests.”

The appeal in Hartlepool was boosted by groups working with Middleton Grange and holding their own mini giving trees like Northern Strength and Performance, in Usworth Road.

Mr Rycraft said he hopes to see more businesses and community groups hold similar mini giving trees next year to grow the appeal even further.

Hartlepool gift appeal for Cash For Kids tops 20,000 presents for children across the North East