Mother Christmas 'speechless' after another bumper year for annual gift appeal to help county children

Our own Mother Christmas says she is almost speechless after the amazing response to our annual festive gift appeal for children across the county.

Residents and businesses have dug deep to make sure that the most deprived children will be having a very merry Christmas.

Collection points in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Thrapston, Rushden and Northampton have been inundated with new and unwrapped presents.

Organiser Jeanette Walsh, known as ‘Mother Christmas’, said: “I’m nearly speechless. I can hardly believe it. This year people have been so generous. There have been so many gifts so thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Mother Christmas grew up in a children’s home and remembers the joy of receiving a new present on December 25.

One of the collection points has been Wicksteed Park who handed over more than 70 gifts including toys and sweets donated by visitors and Wicksteed Park employees.

All the presents collected by Mother Christmas are distributed to the social work teams looking after children across the county.

Wicksteed Park marketing manager Jessica Wolverson said: “We’re so pleased and proud to have played a small part in Jeanette’s extraordinary gift appeal.”