Tears of happiness - Read moving messages from families helped by Northamptonshire gift appeal as Mother Christmas thanked for presents

Jeanette Walsh, aka Mother Christmas, has been sent messages of gratitude by children, social workers, carers and parents to thank the community for their kindness.

This year’s appeal saw a 22,000 donations delivered to social work teams and distributed to families, children, young people and their carers.

Former social worker Jeanette has been moved by the messages from the people who have been helped.

She said: "Every year I can't believe the generosity of local people and businesses. It really warms my heart and I admit I shed a few tears "It's overwhelming the kindness shown to complete strangers. It makes my task easier to know it makes a real difference to children and families in need.”

Jeanette has sent a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped with this year’s gift appeal to help children across Northamptonshire.

She said: “Your overwhelming generosity has been absolutely fantastic. With the help from the readers of the Northants Telegraph, the Chronicle & Echo, and the Daventry Express we have yet again been blessed with many fabulous donations to help our disadvantaged families and young people.

“On behalf of the children, families and young people living in our county, ‘thank you’.”

In one of the many thank you letters received by Jeanette reveals the difference the donations have made to young people.

The message from the children said:

“Santa is real. You are our Santa, and these presents will have made our Christmas beautiful. When we meet our friends, we will tell them of this precious present. The presents will make us feel normal, like other children.”

Other children said:

“Mum and dad have said that they need to prioritise on food, rent and clothes, and that Christmas gifts were a luxury. This Christmas was different.”

One mum described the difference the gifts made to her family:

“I am so so grateful. The kids were over the moon on Christmas Day. I was honestly overwhelmed by the generosity and it relieved so much stress not having to worry about the kids not having any presents to open. I looked over at their faces while they opened them and they were so happy... I mean truly grateful for everything they opened. I literally had tears in my eyes of happiness.”

Another mum had escaped domestic violence, she said:

"I have had to flee with my two young children due to domestic violence. It has been the most terrifying time of my life. This means I had to leave a lot of our possessions behind. I'm physically, mentally and emotionally drained but I have to keep going for my children. I really couldn't believe there are so many people out there that have gone out of their way to help me. I burst into tears and want you to all know that you saved me that day, you really did! You gave me that extra bit of strength I needed for my children. I thought ‘how in a million years can I make a miracle happen? But it did happen. Thank you for caring for a stranger.”

Another mum had been desperate, she said:

"I am a single mum with two children. I work all day every day to try and provide for the three of us. I pay half mortgage and half rent, food, car, bills and have no money left over to have any little extras to enjoy life with my children. There are only so many park trips I can go on! To be honest I wasn't looking forward to Christmas this year as I had no presents for my kids due to having no budget left whatsoever after paying out everything. Mother Christmas came on board with me and made sure I had a Christmas.

I will always remember how kind she has been along with everyone who supports her to enable her to help so many people. I know one thing is for sure, when I am in a better position, I to will help others. You made my Christmas."

One care leaver without family would have had no presents if it hadn’t been for the donations, they said:

"I'm a care leaver - I've been in care for most of my life and I just feel I don't belong anywhere. I went into my own independent living. It has been a very bumpy ride. I don't know where my future will take me but I do know there are people out there that care! My birthday is in December too and it is just another reminder that I have no family around me. For that last six years Mother Christmas has made sure I have some presents to open on Christmas day and on my birthday so I want to say thank you very much.

One social worker thanked Jeanette for the gifts, they said:

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the amazing work you do and how much we social workers appreciate the gifts that you arrange. This year I have helped one family in particular where the mum has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The children lost their father earlier in the year and mum was unexpectedly taken into hospital. The family have struggled financially since the loss of their dad and so being able to give mum some presents for her to give her boys was absolutely amazing. She was so grateful as she has only just been discharged and is too unwell to get gifts herself.”

Gifts were given to the teams for Children and Young Peoples Services, safeguarding, leaving care, special guardianship, children in care, contact centre and looked-after children, as well as five children’s homes and the early help team.