Mission Christmas makes holiday season happier for children in need

Cash for Kids Manchester’s Mission Christmas is aiming to bring presents to disabled and impoverished children and teens across Greater Manchester.

Michelle Williamson, charity manager at Cash for Kids, said: “Christmas should be the most magical time, but for so many families it’s the saddest time of year.

“They’re going to bed without a hot meal, they’re living in a house with no central heating, and don’t have a sufficient school uniform.

“For these families, Christmas is simply a luxury they can’t afford.”

Last year, Mission Christmas helped over 4,200 children in Salford have a happier Christmas, and the numbers are projected to double up this year.

Coronation Street’s very own Brooke Vincent has been involved with Cash for Kids since she was 12 years old.

“The thing that gets me every year is that it could be anyone that it happens to.

There’s a lot of underprivileged children in Manchester, and I don’t think people realize that. And it could be your next door neighbour, it could be a child in your child’s class. It’s very close to home.”

New and unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at thousands of locations across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Places you can deliver your presents for Mission Christmas include selected B&M stores all branches of Wickes, Bensons for Beds and Harveys across the UK.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service will be taking part in delivering presents to local children and teenagers.

Mike Adison, a firefighter at GMFRS, said: “We’ll be going to big centres, then we’re going to be handing them out to the families. We can be doing 50-60 children at each centre that we go to.

“Hopefully it will have a massive impact, and a massive help to Mission Christmas.”

You can also donate to the cause by texting ‘MISSION’ to give £5 or ‘MISSIONTEN’ to give £10 to 70808*.