JCB’s Christmas Toy Appeal yesterday delivered sacksful of festive cheer to vulnerable children after a staggering 1,000 gifts were donated to the cause.
The digger giant ran the appeal for more than two weeks and set up 13 collection points across its sites in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham for employees to donate new and unwrapped toys. By the time counting stopped this morning an overwhelming 984 gifts had been donated – and now JCB has rounded up the total to more than 1,000 with a selection of JCB toys and children’s merchandise.
The stunning array of gifts have all been gathered around a JCB digger dressed as Santa at the company’s World HQ in Rocester ready to be distributed by charities in the Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire areas.
JCB Group HR Director Max Jeffery said: “The response from JCB’s employees to this appeal has been overwhelming. Each one of the gifts donated will make such a difference to the life of a vulnerable child this Christmas and I would like to thank every single person who has taken part in this very successful appeal. It’s truly heart-warming.”
In Staffordshire, the donated gifts will be delivered to the NSPCC and the Stoke-on-Trent based Hubb Foundation for distribution. In Wrexham, where JCB has two factories, the gifts will be donated to the Yellow and Blue charity.
Adam Yates, CEO of the Hubb Foundation, said today: “I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone at JCB who has donated to the Christmas Toy Appeal on behalf of every single child who will have a much better Christmas thanks to this generosity. When I walked into JCB’s World Headquarters and saw the volume of gifts which had been donated it was simply staggering. It has been a wonderful response and one which is truly appreciated.”
Lloyd Butcher, Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager said: “We know that Christmas can be a particularly challenging time for vulnerable children with some struggling with their mental health whilst others will be living in abusive homes. For many of these children, the festive season won’t be filled with joy, but instead feelings of isolation, upset and fear, particularly as most will be cut off from vital support networks. But it doesn’t need to be this way – and we can all play our part.
“At the NSPCC and Childline we are doing all we can to be here for those children over Christmas and we are thrilled to be working with JCB on this initiative to help give those children some Christmas magic through a generously donated gift.”
The GMB Union also supported the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal with a donation of £1,200 to buy toys. The JCB Academy also staged a non-uniform day which raised a further £525 to purchase gifts for the appeal.