Rising demand from families needing Christmas help
Charlotte Riley says more families are reaching out for help for a variety of reasons.
Rising demand from families needing Christmas help
Charlotte Riley has been collecting and distributing Christmas gifts for families in need since 2024
The organiser of a charitable initiative says the number of families seeking help to pay for Christmas presents is increasing.
For the last two years, Charlotte Riley has voluntarily gathered and handed out donated gifts as part of Christmas Kindness Appeal Jersey, which she runs through Facebook. The presents are provided to families with children aged up to 18.
Riley said: "What we are seeing is that each year we're getting more and more numbers coming through."
She said the donated gifts helped to "take the pressure off" families in need of support.
Riley said that when she launched the appeal in 2024, she "didn't expect the response from the community".
She said: "I knew there were people in need.
"I didn't quite know how many people that would be."
She said people may contact the appeal for reasons including unemployment, ill health and the general high cost of living.
As well as growing demand, Riley said there were also more people volunteering to help.
"It wouldn't be done without those other people helping," she said.
"We have people doing deliveries, we have people doing pickups... we have people that have accessed this and got gifts in previous years that are now saying 'I want to give back' so they will go and do collections for us as well."
Riley said donations are accepted during a three-week period and can include clothes, food and essentials as well as gifts.
Donations can be made before 14 November.
"People are very complimentary and very thankful," Riley said.
She said she wanted parents to feel included in the process, so they are also given wrapping paper and labels.
"It's the small simple things as well that make that big difference," she said.