Tree of Joy Campaign Receives Record Gift Donations in Guernsey

The head of a charitable organization that supplies Christmas gifts to families in Guernsey has described the community’s generosity as “overwhelming.” The Inner Wheel Group of Guernsey assists in operating the Tree of Joy campaign, which has reportedly gathered over 600 donated gifts this year, marking what is believed to be an unprecedented total. These contributions, sourced from businesses and individuals, are intended for distribution to children who might otherwise go without presents during the Christmas season. Helen Wood, the group president, stated: “You just imagine the child on Christmas day receiving something… how special that would be.” Ms Wood further remarked: “Every year it’s like a Santa’s grotto but this year it’s overwhelming, it’s just amazing.” She continued: “I think the real thing is people’s generosity that have given all these gifts because there’s meant to be a guideline of £30 a gift but you can actually tell by some of them, people have paid a lot more than that.” Wood also observed that “As the years go by it becomes more well-known, so the word gets around, but times are quite hard at the moment, families are definitely struggling.” Concluding her remarks, she expressed: “I hope the children are all really happy with them and I’m sure they will be.” The Tree of Joy campaign is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Annually, the Rotary Club of Guernsey initiates the campaign by setting up a tree, composed of a string of lights, at St Peter Port Harbour. Jocelyn Dorey, responsible for coordinating the operation’s logistics, commented: “We like to think that every child has at least one present, if not two or three, to open on Christmas morning.” For updates, follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Story ideas can be submitted to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024. All rights are reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Further information regarding its external linking policy is available.