Your chance to make Christmas special in our gift appeal

MKM Building Supplies staff (rear) Duncan Slater and Michael Sumpter with (front) Lee Dees and Jane Plant with Christmas gifts as they launch the Hartlepool Mail Christmas Gift Appeal. Picture by FRANK REID

The Mail has again teamed up with MKM Building Supplies in the town to give Santa a little helping hand and many of you have answered our plea and dropped off a gift.

And so far peple have donated dozens of gifts, as well as £500 cash which will be used to buy more presents, with one customer of the firm donating two bikes to the appeal.

Mick Sumpter director at MKM with Christmas presents

Bosses at the firm, which has generously committed to once again being a drop-off point for donations, are hoping for another bumper haul of presents.

Mick Sumpter, branch manager at the Burn Road store, said: “The appeal isn’t doing too bad at the moment, but it’s mainly our customers who have contributed most. One on customers brought 2 bikes in!

“And we’ve had donations of cash too, around £500, we will go out and buy more gifts with that!

“In total we have around 60 gifts that have been donated so far.”

Last year we had an amazing response to our appeal and your generosity is always humbling.

Mick added: “For so many families the run-up to the big day is one of worry and the need to help is ever greater.

“They desperately need our support, without it many children would receive nothing on Christmas morning.

“You think back to your own Christmasses as a kid and when you realise that some people aren’t as fortunate and are in tough situations at this time of year it’s very sad, it’s heartbreaking.”

There is no need to break the bank either, with small items such as cuddly toys, perfumes and selection boxes as welcome as bigger items.

All the gifts donated are given to Hartlepool organisations, which pass them on to those most in need in our community.

“It’s just great to be part of the appeal, knowing that we are helping people, ” said Mick.

“Times are really tough for many families, many having to rely on food banks let alone finding the money to buy Christmas presents.

“Charities too are finding it difficult as their funding is cut leading to some having to close and others struggling to survive, which means they have no money left over for gifts.

“We just hope this appeal goes some way to helping people have a great Christmas.”

Gifts can be donated to MKM Building Supplies between 7.30am and 5.30pm from Monday to Friday or from 7.30am to noon on Saturdays.

Gifts should be new and unwrapped when handed over to the appeal.

If there are any charities or organisations that would like to be considered for a donation from our toy appeal, contact MKM Building Supplies on 01429 231500.