JCB employees across the UK have delivered a record year for the company’s annual Christmas Toy Appeal by donating a whopping 1,787 gifts.
Donations poured into 15 different collection points across the company’s plants when the appeal was launched in November, beating last year’s total of 1,700 presents. Most of the gifts have been handed over to Stoke-on-Trent charity the Hubb Foundation for distribution to families in the greatest need.
Hubb Foundation operations manager Tom Beecham said, “JCB’s Christmas Toy Appeal means so much to us as a charity and it means so much to the children and families we work with in Stoke-on-Trent. Christmas is a challenging time of year, so to bring some happiness and positivity to children at this time of year is wonderful. We can’t thank JCB and all the employees enough for their ongoing generosity.”
The first batch of toys was delivered to pupils at the New Ford Academy in Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent by JCB-sponsored athlete and Olympic silver medallist Adam Burgess and JCB apprentices Kitty Hulme, Lewis Durham, and Lucy Pepper.
Deputy head Tracy Moller said, “It was wonderful to see the excitement on the children’s faces as the gifts were distributed. We would like to thank all the fabulous employees at JCB for their generous donations.”
Since the appeal’s launch in 2022, employees have donated almost 6,000 gifts. In Wrexham, toys donated by JCB Transmissions’ employees are being given to the Salvation Army for local distribution. A number of gifts were also donated to Cheadle Primary School for distribution to families.
