Festive generosity is all wrapped up
DONATIONS to charity are a numbers game – with the most important being the sum raised for good causes.
But the man behind this, the 13th year of charity gift wrapping in Uxbridge, has revealed all the vital statistics of the pre-Christmas rush, when generous shoppers in the town centre did their bit by getting their gifts wrapped in exchange for a donation.
Nicholas Smith, Barclays community manager, said the volunteer gift wrappers at their tables on the ground floor of the intu Uxbridge shopping centre, got down to business on Thursday, November 27. They continued in an unbroken chain of different charities – one per day, with some repeats – until Wednesday, December 24.
The last customer was all wrapped up by 7.30pm on Christmas Eve.
In all, 28 charities took part, with dozens of volunteer wrappers spending 259 hours making shoppers’ gifts look great.
They got through 252 rolls of wrapping paper, using them to wrap 7,098 presents.
But the most vital number of all was the £10,347 raised from donations, which Barclays has now doubled to the impressive figure of £20,694. Oh, and 78p. “On behalf of all charities, the wrappers and Barclays, I would like to thank all of intu’s customers for their generosity in supporting the wrapping service and financially benefitting so many local charities,” said Mr Smith.
Charities this year included Hillingdon Shopmobility; Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support; Life Education Centres Hillingdon; the Mayor’s charity, Michael Sobell Hospice; Hillingdon Samaritans; and local guides and scouts.