Egg-cellent county Easter appeal smashes 10,000 donations with 'cracking' year declared
“It’s a cracking year” – so says Easter egg appeal mastermind and campaigning champion Jeanette Walsh aka Mother Christmas.
The retired social worker, who grew up in a children’s home, has vowed that youngsters growing up in difficult circumstances will not go without.
As well as organising the annual Christmas gift appeal, Jeanette co-ordinates the hunt for choccy treat donations.
Setting her bar at one for each child in need in Northamptonshire – approximately 6,000 known to social services – she has smashed her target thanks to your generosity.
Jeanette said: “We’ve smashed the 10,000 mark. I can’t believe it! It’s been a smashing year, and such a surprise.
"When we first started this year’s campaign it was very slow and I started to panic, but they just kept rolling in.”
Jeanette has been to all corners of the county, and beyond, to collect generous donations to pass on to social workers the length and breadth of Northamptonshire.
From churches, schools, businesses, sports clubs – bikers to travel agents, accountants to warehouse workers – Jeanette has been over-whelmed by kindness shown to those with nothing.
She said: “I know what it’s like to grow up with absolutely nothing of my own. The ability of complete strangers to ‘love their neighbours’ has bowled me over. I always say – just one egg would be better than none – and now I can pass on more than 10,000 to the children. It really has been the best year ever – a cracking one.
"I’d like to thank every single one of you and wish you all a most wonderfully happy Easter!”