Charity Marks Decade of Giving, Founded After Girls’ Sole Christmas Gift Was Chocolate Coin

Christmas Sparkle, a charity operating from Taunton and Wellington in Somerset, is celebrating its tenth anniversary of providing presents to vulnerable children. The organization was established following an incident where the sole Christmas gift received by two girls was a chocolate coin from a coffee shop, prompting its founder to address the lack of gifts for some children during the festive season. The charity organizes corporate events where volunteers assist in wrapping gifts, which are subsequently distributed via various agencies. Last year, Christmas Sparkle distributed 2,476 parcels. Founder Gill Harrison expressed that while she feels “proud” of their efforts, it is “sad” that such a need continues to exist. Ms. Harrison’s motivation to establish the charity stemmed from a story shared by a teacher at a school located in Taunton. She recounted the teacher’s story: “Two little girls, eight and 10, had come running in, really excitedly, to say they had had their first ever Christmas present,” adding, “Each girl had been given a foil wrapped chocolate coin, one each (from a coffee shop), and that was their first and only ever Christmas present.” This revelation led her to conclude, “That’s when I knew we needed to do something.” During its inaugural year, the charity delivered over 500 parcels, a figure that has since grown to five times that amount. Ms. Harrison noted the increasing demand, stating, “The cost of living has got higher and higher, and more people are living in difficult circumstances so we’re very lucky to live in Taunton, which is such a giving community.” Throughout the festive season, Christmas Sparkle organizes wrapping events for both volunteers and corporate groups. Ms. Harrison mentioned that on one particular day, over 45 individuals were present in the office to assist. Describing the atmosphere, she remarked, “It was very much like Santa’s workshop… we had two people in full elf costume as well,” and observed, “At this time of year you really see the beating heart of this community.” After being wrapped, the gifts are provided to various agencies, including social services, schools, and refuges, which then distribute them to the children.