Mum sets up Christmas gift group to help families in need

NON-ESSENTIAL shops had to close when Wales went into lockdown as part of the new Level 4 restrictions.

Supermarkets remain open but have had to block off non-essential items such as toys, although click and collect services are still allowed to operate.

But the new restrictions have been a devastating blow for some families who still needed to buy Christmas presents for their children.

One of those at her wits’s end on Saturday night was 31-year-old Alisha Harriss from Bridgend. The mother-ofthree said she was waiting until she was paid on Tuesday and cried herself to sleep.

But on waking up on Sunday Alisha knew that many of the positive messages sent to her the night before would not just help her but many other families who are struggling.

Alisha and her friend Samantha Dent set up Facebook group Unwanted Christmas Gifts to Help Others and have been inundated with Xboxes, Nintendo DSs, PlayStations, other toys and handmade gifts from local businesses.

Alisha, who is expecting her fourth child, said: “Loads of people were messaging me for help. And I thought if there’s that many people out there willing to help I’ll set up a group.

“I’m trying to do it as fairly as I can. People are going up their attics to get stuff down. I thought it would just be a couple of people doing stuff for each other. Everyone who has donated has given a family that extra help at such a hard time and put hope back into a very sad year.”

Samantha said: “Alisha rang me with a great idea about setting up a page for the people who are genuinely struggling this Christmas due to the lockdown being moved forward.

“We have reached 1,800 members in less than 12 hours. I’m so overwhelmed with the amount of kind and generous people we have coming forward with all these lovely gifts. No child or family should go without.”

Alisha and Samantha have also organised a raffle for people to win the consoles so that the donated Xboxes and PlayStations are given out fairly.