Two Somerset charities distributing Christmas presents to struggling families are facing a paradox this festive season: demand for their help has reached record levels, yet donations are falling short. According to BBC News, both the Chard Christmas Present Appeal and Christmas Sparkle attribute the surge in requests to the ongoing cost of living crisis, which has left more families unable to afford gifts for their children.
The Chard Christmas Present Appeal, now in its eighth year, serves children and young people aged 0–18 and reported higher-than-normal demand this year. Martyna Lee, founder of the appeal, explained that families are increasingly desperate for assistance. She said many parents have "tears in their eyes" when the charity can help them secure presents for their children.
How did the appeals begin?
Lee started the Chard appeal by herself in 2019 from her living room as part of the Lord's Larder food bank in Chard. The organisation relies completely on donations and receives no government or institutional funding. Christmas Sparkle, based in Taunton, began after founder Gill Harrison learned that two girls had received only chocolate coins as their sole Christmas gifts. The project has since grown dramatically, and Harrison announced on 25 October 2026 that Christmas Sparkle has applied to register as a charity.
What scale of growth are the charities experiencing?
Christmas Sparkle's expansion has been striking. When the project launched in 2015, it distributed 500 individual gifts. By last year, the organisation had grown to provide around 2,300 parcels containing approximately 10,000 individual gifts. Gill Harrison, founder and manager at Christmas Sparkle, said she expects even higher demand this year, driven primarily by the cost of living crisis. The charity works with schools, social services, police, women's refuges and community nursing teams, all of which have increased their referrals to Christmas Sparkle over recent years. According to external records, Christmas Sparkle distributed 2,476 gift packages in 2023.
What stories illustrate the families' struggles?
Lee recounted several cases that highlight the depth of need. When a social worker asked one family's children what they wanted for Christmas, the children requested pencils and a colouring book—modest items that moved Lee deeply.
"That broke my heart. They weren't asking for expensive gifts. So I made sure they had a large gift package, including board games."
Another family Lee remembers experienced a house fire just before Christmas and lost nearly everything they owned.
"We managed to get them fantastic gifts and a Christmas tree and decorations,"Lee said.
Why are donations falling short?
Lee identified the cost of living crisis as the root cause of the mismatch between demand and supply.
"We are getting more referrals and less donations because of cost of living, so we do struggle. Cost of living is going to get harder and harder."This pattern reflects broader challenges facing charities across the region. Earlier this year, a single father using a Castle Cary community larder warned that falling donations and the end of holiday voucher schemes would make summer especially hard, and FareShare Sussex & Surrey reported that families were skipping meals during the summer holidays as parents faced extra food costs when free school meals stopped.
How are volunteers supporting the campaigns?
Community support has been vital to the charities' operations. On 31 October 2026, My Day Care Services volunteers helped Christmas Sparkle collect, wrap and deliver presents; the group has supported the project since 2017. Christmas Sparkle's education lead is planning school visits to encourage pupils to volunteer and collect presents, expanding the base of community involvement.
What happens next?
The Chard Christmas Present Appeal is accepting new, unwrapped gifts at Chard Community Hub or Forefront Community Centre until 27 November 2026. Both charities continue to appeal for donations as they prepare for what they expect to be their busiest Christmas season yet. Organisers note that gifts for teenagers are often in particularly short supply, making donations suitable for older children especially valuable.
