“Give a Child a Christmas” Appeal raises nearly £12k for Havering children

Time FM and Romford BID appealed for donations just before Christmas

Time FM and Romford BID’s annual”Give a Child a Christmas” Appeal raised nearly £12,000 for local children last year.

The appeal asked our listeners to donate toys, presents and money for under-privileged children in the area, with funds ensuring over 3,000 of them received a gift.

In total, £11,799 was raised via donations on the Go Fund Me page set up by Romford BID.

On top of financial donations, just under 1,000 physical gifts amounting to at least £12,000 in monetary value were dropped into our studio or at the appeal’s partner, GBP Estates, in the run-up to Christmas.

Romford BID topped up presents handed in using the funds from the Go Fund Me account, particularly gifts for teenagers.

Discount deals and arrangements with local shops were arranged so that the money donated could go even further.

Local shops who participated in the discount scheme included The Works and Storky Baby and Childrenswear.

Time FM and Romford BID provided 17 agencies across Havering with gifts for local children including LBBD Social Services Team and Hostels, LBH Social Services, Salvation Army, LBBD Schools, Peabody Trust, Gingerbread Society, ELHAP in Woodford Green, The RJ Mitchel school, Queens & King George Hospital, as well as several families in need.

Julie Frost Romford BID Director said, “I am really moved by the generosity of the local community. Times are hard but that has not stopped people giving whatever they could to families that are really struggling. The team and DJs at Time FM were vital to the fundraising and throughout the run-up to Christmas shouted daily about this incredible cause and the change it can make. A special thank you also to all the local stores that gave us discounts on gifts so we could buy even more – 3,000 gifts is an amazing achievement, and I hope this appeal continues to grow in awareness and donations every year.”

Mark Dover at Time FM said, “Yet again I’m amazed by how generous people can be. Every single year since we started doing this in 2004, people help to make a difference and ensure life’s better for under privileged children in our area. And this year with the cost of living being so hard for so many people, I’m so proud and amazed that this generosity is still there. We are so grateful to everyone who helped… however large or small that was. Thank you.”

Shelley Hart, CEO of Havering Volunteer Centre said, “Huge, huge, huge thank you for the wonderful gifts you gave, I know the families that received them were thrilled.  We called a couple directly and they were speechless when we said gifts had been donated to them for Christmas.  We cannot thank the public enough – I know some families were so worried that they did not have anything for their children, and they then had presents to place at the bottom of their tree.”

Paul Ziff at GBP Estates said, “We are genuinely so moved by the generosity of the public for all the amazing gifts that were donated. We cannot thank the public enough for their generosity and kindness. I would also like to give a massive thank you to our landlords, tenants, solicitors and contractors who generously donated to this wonderful cause. We are proud to have supported Give a Child A Christmas 2022.”

There is still over £2,200 available from the donation pot so Romford BID is speaking to the fundraising team at Queens Hospital and looking to make a donation towards the refurbishment of a children’s playroom on their Tropical Lagoon ward which is due to open towards the end of January.

For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FM