Easter egg appeal: Can you help make life sweeter for 2,000 children?

Debbie Mitchie
The Easter Bunny helps launch Hope4kidz Easter Egg appeal, with Viv Watts and Sharon Downey joined by Sunderland City Centre businesses.The Easter Bunny helps launch Hope4kidz Easter Egg appeal, with Viv Watts and Sharon Downey joined by Sunderland City Centre businesses.
The Easter Bunny helps launch Hope4kidz Easter Egg appeal, with Viv Watts and Sharon Downey joined by Sunderland City Centre businesses.

Easter is fast approaching and once again your Echo has teamed up with Hope 4 Kidz to launch our Easter Egg appeal to collect as many chocolate treats as we can.

Last year you helped Easter be that little bit sweeter for more than 2,000 children, all struggling to overcome long-term illness, disability and other problems such as poverty and abuse.

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This year we are hoping to support even more children in refuges, hospitals and special needs units across the North East.

The Easter Bunny joined Viv Watts, chief executive of Hope 4 Kidz, and representatives from local businesses, who are supporting our campaign, to officially launch the appeal.

Viv said: “While you are out shopping, please buy an extra Easter egg and drop it into one of the collection points so that we can support all the wish lists.

“We have had thousands of requests for Easter Eggs all ready and we really couldn’t do what we do without your support.

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“We are so grateful to the public and businesses for the help and support that they continue to give us.”

“Our appeal relies on your help and the continued support of the businesses who volunteer to act as drop-off points to make it a success.

Anyone wishing to donate an Easter Egg, can do so at one of our designated collections points.

These are: Sainsbury’s Wessington Way, Sainsbury’s Silksworth, Sainsbury’s Washington, Virgin Money Fawcett Street, Morrisons Doxford Park, Morrisons Seaburn, who have supported us for the past seven years.

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Joining us this year for the first time are Santander Waterloo Place, Marks and Spencer High Street West, Hays Travel Vine Place and in the Bridges Virgin Money, Tesco, EE, The Bridges Shopping Centre, Boots and Greggs the bakers.

Easter Eggs can also be dropped off at the Hope 4 Kidz Office in Pennywell.

Gavin Foster, the Echo’s managing editor, said: “There was a huge turn out of support for last year’s appeal and we hope to see just as much support for it this time round.

“A small gesture can have a huge effect on children who need something to pick them up when they’re feeling down.”

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The last day for donations will be Wednesday, March 23. The Easter Eggs will then be delivered in time for Easter weekend.

For further information about Hope 4 Kidz, or to have an Easter delivery for your unit, call the charity direct on 0191 534 7788 or email [email protected] or visit www.hope4kidz.org.uk .