Easter Egg appeal: How your donation could help a child smile

Sunderland Echo and Hope 4 Kidz annual Easter Egg Appeal. From left Sharon Downey, Amiee Burns, Easter Bunny and Bridge House centre manager Jo Bailes

We are hoping you will shell out for an extra chocolate treat while you are out shopping, to give the Easter Bunny a hand to make this year’s appeal a cracking success.

Among the young people who will benefit from your kindness are those who have fled domestic violence, young carers and those in the care of child protection teams as well those being treated at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Kirsty Thompson, Louise Reid and Paula Hannah, from Virgin Money in Fawcett Street.

Last year saw you donate more than 2,5oo chocolate treats and this year we hope you will help us to support even more children.

The Easter Bunny went along to the Hope 4 Kidz office, based in Bridge House, in Sunderland city centre, to help launch this year’s appeal.

Hope 4 Kidz, a Sunderland charity which helps disadvantaged and special needs youngsters across the North East, will be collecting and distributing the eggs in the week leading up to Easter.

Viv Watts, of Hope 4 Kidz, said: “The response in the past has been amazing, absolutely amazing.

“There’s still a real need for our help because a lot of us take it for granted, where there are children who are not in that situation.

“When we hear some of the stories that come through our door, it’s heartbreaking. We’re trying to fill that gap and an Easter egg can bring that much-needed smile to their face.”

Gavin Foster, managing editor of the Sunderland Echo, said: “We are delighted to once again to be part of this appeal. It is a cracking cause and we hope this year’s will be bigger than ever.”

The final day for donations is Monday, April 15, so that the eggs can be distributed in the run-up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Donation can be made at our drop-off points: Tesco, The Bridges, Morrisons Seaburn, Morrisons Doxford Park, Sainsbury’s Wessington Way, Sainsbury’s Silksworth, Sainsbury’s Washington, Sainsbury’s Fulwell, Virgin Money Fawcett Street, Virgin Money The Bridges, Virgin Money The Galleries, Virgin Money Chester-le-Street, Virgin Money Durham, Hays Travel, Santander, Wilkinsons.

For details about Hope 4 Kidz or to have an Easter delivery for your unit or charity, call 0191 5142497, or email [email protected] or log on to www.hope4kidz.org.uk.