Our super Examiner readers became Santa’s little helpers

“I want to thank the Examiner and readers because we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the publicity. It gave us a boost in the last few days which allowed us to do the job to absolute perfection.”

She added: “We had 70 to 80 gifts donated after the Examiner published our story. The quality of the gifts was stunning - we really appreciate it.”

Daughter Amy added: “I want to say a big thank you to the Examiner for getting behind the Santa’s Seniors 2017 campaign.

“Without your support it would have been a struggle to be able to make up the final gift numbers.”

Amy said more than 350 people had received three gifts each.

She thanked the donors and said: “We have received the most wonderful range of presents.

“I also want to thank our team of elves who have wrapped and packed all the presents to enable us to complete our mission to give people a happier Christmas, with the knowledge that they have not been forgotten about in their golden years.”

Presents donated at several drop-off points were wrapped by the Gunsons, along with many helpers, and delivered to care homes, the Salvation Army, Age UK and other good causes across Huddersfield.

Suzanne and her daughters are planning to run the same appeal next year - and are hoping to make it bigger and better.

They are asking friends, family and Examiner readers to hang onto unwanted Christmas presents until October next year when they can be donated to Santa’s Seniors.

“We hope to have more ‘elves’ next year to help us,” said Suzanne.

“If people have unwanted gifts they can donate them to Santa’s Seniors. We will start the collection in October.”

Follow the project on Facebook at ‘SantasSeniors.’