#Chances4Children: Police forces launch Christmas campaigns to support vulnerable children

Essex Police have called on the community to donate gifts to one of thirteen local police stations. These will then be wrapped by the officers and police staff, and delivered to vulnerable children in the county.

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Last year, temporary superintendent Lily Benbow introduced the campaign when she joined Essex Police as district commander for Tendring. The force donated 1,300 gifts across Tendring, working with social care services to identify the most vulnerable children.

Benbow said: “Our officers, staff and volunteers worked with partner agencies to shop for presents, allocate, wrap and deliver them. I even ended up cooking at a local Christmas party, which only happened because I was chatting with the chef while we wrapped gifts.”

This year, Covid-19 restrictions mean that volunteers are unable to help with wrapping presents, but the local community can still get involved by donating a gift suitable for newborns to 17-year-olds. Essex Police have put together Amazon Wish Lists, and people are also invited to deliver their gifts to local stations.

At Wood Grove Children’s Home in Colchester, all of the children decided to donate their pocket money to the campaign so that no one goes without a present on Christmas day.

“Even though 2020 has been a tough year for all,” Benbow said, “we won’t be deterred from giving children, who would otherwise have nothing, a gift at Christmas.”

Meanwhile in London, the Metropolitan Police has launched its annual Christmas Tree Appeal. After nine consecutive years, this will be the Met’s first virtual campaign.

In previous years, the Christmas tree outside New Scotland Yard has been decorated with gift tags which shared information about buying a present for a vulnerable child. People would pick a tag, buy a present, and donate it to their local London police station. In 2019, more than 22,000 presents were delivered by Christmas morning.

This year, presents can be bought from the Met’s online Christmas shop or money can be donated for more gifts. The Met are partnering with the Childhood Trust to help children in care, hospitals and from low-income families across London.

After the campaign closes on 16 December, Met officers and local authorities will deliver the parcels so that as many children as possible wake up to find a filled stocking waiting for them on Christmas morning.

• Find out more about CYP Now’s #Chances4Children campaign