The ‘Christmas Tree Campaign’ is being launched during the borough celebrations to mark the switching on of the Christmas lights in Sutton Town Centre on Saturday, 15 November. Sutton police officers will be staffing the borough’s mobile reassurance vehicle by Trinity Square in the High Street from mid-day where they will have a Christmas Tree containing ‘tags’ for each of the 205 children in care who will be receiving a gift.
Residents are being encouraged to take a tag which will include a reference number for a child, which needs to be emailed to: [email protected]
Police will then send a reply email with the child’s gender and age so an appropriate present of the resident’s choice costing no more than £20 can be purchased.
Residents will be asked to bring their unwrapped presents - and their present reference number - to the front counter at Sutton Police Station, 6 Carshalton Road, Sutton. Police want to receive all 205 presents by Saturday, 6 December.
Officers will then wrap the presents and make them ready for distribution to the children via Sutton Council’s Children’s Services in time for Christmas Day.
During the Christmas Lights switch on, the Christmas Tree Campaign will be announced over the public address system as part of the celebrations. After the town centre lights have been switched on, the police Christmas Tree with its tags will be moved into reception at Sutton Police station, although it will be taken out into the Town Centre for 2-3 hours at a time to promote the initiative in the run up to Christmas.
Acting Inspector Simon Alexander, who is organising the initiative, said: “Sutton has proved many times it has a big heart and here’s your chance to help a child have a better Christmas.”
Councillor Wendy Mathys, Chair of the Children, Family and Education Committee, said: “Every child matters and Christmas is a time for giving. This appeal is a wonderful way to show we care as a community for some very special young people. Donating is simple and giving a gift will make a real difference.”
The initiative is part of the Met Police Commissioner’s Christmas Tree campaign, which is being extended to London’s 32 boroughs for the first time this year.