We collect new gifts for children across the BS postcodes who would otherwise go without. Every single donation reaches a local child.
Run from Weston-super-Mare, for the whole BS area · Organisations: request gifts
Why we do it
A poem by Sara
When school returns in January and the children gather round on their first day,
The teacher asks them ‘how was Christmas?’ and kids rush to be the very first to be picked to excitedly say.
Then a small boy at the back of class sits hidden: silently and still amongst the cheers.
Because for his house at Christmas – it just wasn’t the same as all of his young peers.
A little girl at break time on that very first day back to school,
Slinks to the back of the group of friends as they shout excitedly about what they received – it was all “SO COOL”.
A year 6 child on that January day, tries to excuse themselves from the class – scared to hear their name.
Because they have nothing to share, to relate to, because Christmas for them is another day: exactly the same.
A reception child sat still and forlorn tucked away in the book corner twirling her fingers into her hair.
Because excited chattering amongst class and staff about Santa – became too much to bear.
For some children in our local communities: Santa doesn’t come with presents to talk about at school.
For many local families: the joy of Santa doesn’t reach them at all.
We can all change this with a simple gesture that for lots of us is just pure unhindered joy.
A little gift that travels to the laps of local children: a book, a game, a toy.
‘Every Child Needs Christmas’ is about creating magic that makes hearts soar to the sky.
How special it really is to feel that Santa hasn’t just passed them by.
So your gift will make it to a little person on a cold and crisp Christmas Day.
And that child will head back to their classroom: with a full heart and SO much to say.
Because they are only little for such a short time and Christmas should be magic whilst they’re small.
So join us in our quest to reach as many children – so that the magic of Santa can be felt by ALL.
Choosing a gift
Buy it from anywhere. It just needs to be new, sealed, unwrapped and non-edible, and suit a child somewhere between newborn and 16.
Stuck for ideas? We post suggestions regularly on our campaign page.
To: a local child, 0–16
£7–£10a guide price per gift
How it works
Pick something new and sealed, around £7–£10, for any age from newborn to 16.
Take it to a drop-off point on our map, or order from our Amazon list and it comes straight to us.
At the end of the campaign every gift comes to us in Weston-super-Mare, where it's sorted by age and boxed up.
Partner organisations refer families with just a child's age and gender, then hand the gifts to the children who need them most.
Most of the organisations we work with ask for gifts unwrapped. It also lets us stretch donations across age ranges, so we no longer run the Big Wrap event. We know many of you loved it. We did too.
Schools, colleges, clubs, places of worship, charities, social care teams and children's centres. In fact, any organisation that supports families in any way across the BS postcodes.
Scan or tap
On your phone, tap a button. Looking at a poster or screen? Point your camera at a code.
Every drop-off point across the BS postcodes, on one Google Map. ecnc.uk/map
Drop-offs close Mon 7 December
Open the map
Order from our checked list and the gift is sent straight to us. You don't even need to leave the house. ecnc.uk/amazon
Last orders Tue 1 December
Open the gift list
Can't get to the shops? Give a £10 gift donation by Monzo and we'll buy for the age ranges that need it most. ecnc.uk/donate
Donate £10Get involved
We're just the idea. It's the community that makes it run.
For schools, charities and support teams
If your organisation works with families in the BS postcode areas, you can receive gifts from the campaign to pass on to the children and families you support. There is no charge at all. It's entirely community funded.
All we need is the age, and gender if appropriate, of the children you'd like to put forward. We never ask how they're chosen. That's entirely up to you. If you can't name individual children, just ask for a spread of gifts across the age ranges.
Add as many children as you like. We'll do everything we can to fill every request, but donations change from year to year, so we can't guarantee it. If we're struggling, we'll keep you updated during the week of 8–12 December.
It started over a cuppa and a slab of cake with a friend, two weeks before Christmas.
That first year we reached 800 children. In our biggest year we reached 15,000 donations, and so far you've given around 120,000 brand-new gifts. Fourteen years on we're still going, and when Covid threw curve balls we found new ways to keep going.
Every year the need is greater, and we know buying is harder too. That's why we never set a target. We simply try to reach as many children as we possibly can.
We're a very small team with plenty of kids and self-employed jobs of our own. We reply to every message, though sometimes not straight away.