CASH FOR KIDS’ ‘MISSION CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2019’

As in previous years the GFT’s main charitable donation has been to Wave 105’s annual appeal to provide deprived youngsters across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with Christmas presents.

During the past few years we have negotiated discounts with Sports Direct and have sought to take advantage of the discount sales offered by Sainsburys & WH Smith. By doing so we are able to purchase toys and gifts of anywhere between 20-50% of their usual retail price. This year, with the help of Andy White, owner of the Wholesale Clearance Warehouse in Poole, we have been able to increase the margin of discounts.

Knowing our objectives with the appeal, Andy contacted us on several occasions during the year with brand new job lots of merchandise available that were suitable to be given as gifts. Some of the things we bought through him this year were nearly 1,000 cool beanie hats and nearly 100 young adult watches – all at a fraction of the true retail value.

The result was that we were able to provide 2,574 gifts at a cost of just over £7,000 but with a retail value closer to £14,000.

In total 100,000 gifts were received in this year’s appeal which were gifted to 32,284 children who otherwise would not have had anything at Christmas.