Angry People in Local Newspapers has joined our pals at Newsthump, Southend News Network and The Rochdale Herald in the Big Fat Secret Santa, bringing Christmas presents to disadvantaged kiddiewinks around the UK.

We’ve joined forces with Reading Family Aid’s Toys and Teens Appeal 2017, Rochdale Giving Back Christmas Toy Appeal, and Southend on Sea Borough Council Toy Drive to give hundreds of families a happy Christmas.

All over the country, while you’re stuffing your face and spilling fizzy wine all over the carpet, there are thousands upon thousands of kiddiewinks for whom Christmas is just another bloody miserable day.

These children aren’t going to presents at Christmas, they include children living in poverty, children in care, kids who are waiting to be adopted and children who have fled domestic violence with their mothers and are hiding women’s refuges.

So we’re going to give them Christmas. That’s what we’re going to do.

Hundreds of people have already joined in, and it couldn’t be simpler.

HOW TO DO THE BIG FAT SECRET SANTA

>>> Click through to the Amazon wishlist we’ve set up

>>> Order something to suit your budget, it’s automatically sent to the charities

>>> Share this page so other people can join in

>>> That’s it!

The charities will get your present within a couple of days, and they’ll make sure it goes to the right people.

We understand that not everybody shops with Amazon, but that’s fine. If you still feel you’d like to do something, hunt down your town or city’s toy appeal and give to them instead.

Or you could buy some chocolate selection boxes and give them to a food bank.

Or you could just do something nice. We’re not the boss of you.

A message from Reading Family Aid: 

“Every single toy donation will make a huge difference to disadvantaged local children (and their families) this Christmas.

“Even though we are (on the surface at least) a very prosperous town here in Reading, the shameful fact remains that 1 in 4 children living here live in poverty.

“Reading Family Aid has been running for 40 years, supporting these disadvantaged families. We are entirely run by volunteers (mainly retired now, many have been involved for decades) and although our big focus is the toy project at Christmas we also fundraise to take children on day trips to the seaside/the zoo/pantomime etc the rest of the year round.

“We try to provide those experiences that are so important to children, but are not necessarily deemed essential or supported by other agencies.”

AND A FINAL MESSAGE FROM SANTA, DIRECT FROM LAPLAND

“What are you waiting for? Let’s help those kiddiewinks.”