Teenager Aims to Exceed Gift Collection Goal

A 15-year-old, James, aims to surpass his previous fundraising achievement by gathering over 1,000 gifts for The Salvation Army this year. He has been coordinating Christmas present collections for the organization since the age of 13. During his initial year, he amassed 500 gifts from schools in Stafford; last year, the total reached 950, and for the current year, his objective is even greater. Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, James stated, “It’s blown me away how many people are so generous and how many people have responded to it in such a positive way.” James has motivated schoolchildren to contribute gifts, which are subsequently gathered and transported to the Salvation Army centre located in Cannock. These presents are then distributed to individuals who might not otherwise receive a Christmas gift. Donations are accepted for all age groups, from 0 to 100, with the stipulation that gifts must be new and unopened. He recounted, “When I first went and we dropped the gifts off there was a wonderful gentleman in tears to see the response – but the appreciation should go to the people who have donated, because without that, nothing would have happened.” James’s father, Dermot, commented, “He could be on a PlayStation a lot of the time but he comes up with this idea.” Dermot added, “I’ve got to say that the schools – the staff there have been absolutely fantastic, they’ve accommodated it, they’ve given him the time to do assemblies and help facilitated the collection. “He’s got everybody involved and we’re all really proud of him.”” Contributions can be made at three Stafford schools by 2 December: Walton High School, Berkswich CE Primary School, and Leasowes Primary School. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.