Hundreds of children given gifts to open on Christmas Day thanks to Salvation Army Appeal

Every year the church and charity collects donations of new unwrapped gifts which are distributed to vulnerable children who would otherwise have had nothing to open on Christmas Day. 

Thanks to the generosity of members of the public and local businesses, The Salvation Army churches in the Black Country including Cradley Health, Oldbury, Willenhall, Darlaston and Dudley were able to meet the need this year, Cradley Heath alone providing about 350 children with gift parcels from over two thousands individual toy contributions. 

The church in Cradley Heath received donations from both individuals and organisations, amongst whom was Tom Sandford who raised £2,700 from friends and colleagues, and spent it purchasing toys which were donated to the local Army church. Organisations include The Red House, Halesowen College, Brownies, Guides and Rainbows, Apollo Aerospace Components, Llyods Banking Group, West Midland Plastics (West Midlands), Peritum Group, Ramsay Health Care, amongst many others. 

Major Lisa Goble, who leads Cradley Heath Salvation Army, said: “Thank you to everyone who donated to our Christmas Present Appeal of 2025, your generosity made such a difference to so many families and brought smiles to the faces of so many children who would otherwise have had nothing to open on Christmas Day. 

“This past year, we were overwhelmed by the incredible community support. The number of people and organisations who rallied behind our appeal was truly inspiring. Thanks to generous donations of toys and money from residents in Cradley Heath and the surrounding Black Country, we were able to fill gaps in our toy supply and ensure every child had presents to unwrap. It was a fantastic collective effort, and we’re so grateful to everyone who made it possible. 

“Also to a big thank you to the public for their fantastic support of the appeal which helps to spread the message of love and joy to our community, and of course to our brilliant staff members and volunteers who helped to sort the gifts and get them ready to distribute to families. We would not be able to do this without them.” 

The Salvation Army worked with local agencies including schools, social services and health visitors to distribute the gifts during the week running up to Christmas. 

Cradley Heath Salvation Army continues to support the community running a number of activities. For more information, follow them on Facebook.