Donate to spread some festive joy

The Bunbury Christmas Appeal 2017 will once again give residents the chance to spread joy to those less fortunate this festive season, after it yielded an impressive 800 boxes and 176 school bags last year.

The Intown Centre and South West Grief and Loss Centre are collecting shoe boxes filled with supplies – such as hats, shower gel, sunscreen, sweets and Christmas items – at Fullers New and Secondhand Furniture.

School backpacks filled with stationary will also be collected to help children of all ages get back to school.

Intown Centre manager Leanne Gibbs said she started collecting backpacks seven years ago when she found kids were not going to school because they only had plastic bags to carry their things.

“With a backpack, they feel part of the school kids and you have a better chance of them succeeding and staying in school if they do have those things,” she said.

Last year’s appeal focused on the homeless, but Ms Gibbs said they would aim to help a bigger range of underprivileged adults this year.

“You might have dad or mum with kids, but dad or mum gets forgotten, so we are going to try to help everyone we can to share the love and goodwill at this time of year,” she said.

“The feedback we had last year from the people who received the boxes was amazing – they thought they would never be thought of and it made them feel really special.

“By doing the boxes and backpacks, people don’t have to give a huge amount of money or time, they may give one box, or 10 or 30 – it all adds up.” Fullers owner Krisann Plumb said there was “so much loss, hurt and broken people” in the community and it was important to band together to help them. It is preferred items gifted were new and the boxes were not wrapped.

Call 9721 4316 for more information.