An annual charity appeal for Christmas gift donations has been launched for 2017.
Operation Santa is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s project to provide support and Christmas gifts and toys to more than 600 disadvantaged children who are not helped by any other appeals.
The children are nominated by social workers who work with families across the borough, and last year more than 3,000 gifts were donated in a record-breaking show of generosity.
The Operation Santa pledge hotline – 01443 866577 – opened on Wednesday, November 1, and will close on Thursday, November 30. Donations must then be delivered to one of the nine collection centres listed below by Monday, December 4.
Cabinet Member for Social Care and Wellbeing, Cllr Carl Cuss, said: “Each year we are absolutely blown away by the amount of gifts people donate, and every year these gifts help spread a little festive cheer to local young people at Christmas.
“On behalf of Caerphilly County Borough Council, I would like to thank everyone who has supported the Operation Santa appeal in the past, and also thank local residents and businesses in advance for their support once again this year.”
Staff at Caerphilly-based credit referencing company, Creditsafe, have already shown their support for this year’s appeal after it was launched at their headquarters at Caerphilly Business Park.
Rachel Mainwaring, UK Managing Director at Creditsafe, said: “Operation Santa is a cause close to many of our hearts with many of our staff being from, and living in, Caerphilly.
“This year we will continue to make it our mission to collect as many gifts as possible to ensure underprivileged children get to open a present on Christmas morning.”
Collection centres are at:
• Penallta House, Ystrad Mynach
• Caerphilly Library
• Apex Estate Agents, Bargoed
• YMCA, Bargoed
• Blackwood Miners’ Institute
• Barclays Bank, Ystrad Mynach
• Risca Family Centre, Brookland Road, Risca
• Risca Palace Library
• Pontlottyn Customer First Centre
For more information, email operationsanta@caerphilly.gov.uk or call the pledge hotline on 01443 866577.