Smashing response to Easter egg appeal as Mother Christmas collects chocolate treats for disadvantaged children

Inspirational good egg, Jeanette Walsh aka Mother Christmas, has thanked residents for their response to her annual spring appeal.

The Northampton gran-of-one’s cupboard was bare but after she shelled-out for Easter eggs to hand out disadvantaged children and made an appeal to readers of this newspaper, her heart is choc full.

Donations are now rolling in – the eggs will be passed to social workers for distribution to needy families as an Easter Sunday treat.

Jeanette, who spends all year long working for children who have nothing to give them something, is hoping to smash last year’s target.

She said: “I’m just delighted with the response so far. I’d like to say a big thank you for each and every donation.

"We’ve had 800, and there’s a long way to go so if you could donate just one or two Easter eggs, to cheer up a child, that would be great.

"There are drop-off points at all Nandos in the county and I will do the rest.”

A new donor to the Easter egg appeal is Tesco Extra in Kettering. After bumping into Jeanette shopping for hundreds eggs at the shop, store manager Jason Key donated another hundred to the cause. He has been inspired to help after reading Jeanette’s story of how she went into care at the age of five after being neglected by her parents.

He said: “Having met you and seen what a fantastic person you are with such an upbeat attitude to life and a genuine warmth about you, I can scarcely believe the unimaginable challenges you faced in your early life. I can honestly say you've inspired me today and opened my eyes to something I've luckily never experienced.”

The appeal has also been supported by Silverstone-based Aston Martin F1.

Jeanette is hoping to smash last year’s total of 7,348 Easter eggs that are distributed to children and care leavers across the whole county.

You can drop off Easter eggs at Nando’s in Northampton, Kettering, Rushden Lakes, Corby and Rugby (Elliot’s field retail park). Jeanette will then distribute the Easter eggs to the social services staff across the county who care for looked after children.