Christmas appeal to help ensure children and young people in Preston receive festive gifts returns

Donations to last year’s Christmas appeal at Cotton Court Pic: Cotton Court

A Christmas appeal to help children and young people across Preston and Lancashire has returned.

Cotton Court Business Centre in Church Street is backing the Christmas Gift Appeal in aid of Barnardos for an 11th year.

The charity aims to ensure every child and young person struggling due to the cost of living crisis in Preston and Lancashire has a gift to open on Christmas morning.

A young person who received a gift from a previous year’s appeal said: “I didn’t think I would get any presents, I just thought I would be sitting in my room all day imagining Christmas for happy families.”

This year the appeal is urging people to consider gifts for teenagers or young adults who are often overlooked by Christmas appeals.

Owner of Cotton Court, Rob Binns, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue hosting this important appeal. For more than a decade, businesses, individuals, and communities have been donating gifts for children and young people who may not get anything else. Thank you to everyone who has donated in previous years, we couldn’t do it without you.”

Debbie Nolan-Plunkett, Assistant Director at Barnardo’s said: “Christmas is often taken for granted by children and young people who get caught up in the excitement and know Father Christmas will deliver on Christmas Eve. Not all children and young people have the good fortune to be able to expect presents and will often go without.

One parent last year was overwhelmed with the gifts she received as she had not been able to save enough money to buy gifts for Christmas due to being very poorly. She couldn’t believe that total strangers had donated presents to give her children a lovely Christmas Day.”

How to help

Donate an unwrapped gift to the donation site at Cotton Court or any of the other partner donation sites listed below
Buy a gift online (via Amazon) and have it delivered to Cotton Court using the delivery address Barnardo’s Gift Appeal, Cotton Court, Church Street, Preston, PR1 3BY
Buy a gift voucher to be delivered to Cotton Court, gift vouchers can be for Love2Shop, Lifestyle, Amazon or One4All.

Donation points

Cotton Court Business Centre, PR13BY (9am-5pm, Monday – Friday )
Cotton Court Leyland, PR252YJ (9am-5pm, Monday – Friday)
Highfield Hybrid, Cottam (message via Instagram @highfieldhybrid for drop off times)
Bar Pintxos, PR1 2AR (12pm-9pm, Monday – Sunday closed Wednesday)
Delishus, PR1 2NJ (10am – 6pm, Monday – Sunday)
Nuffield Health and Fitness, PR5 4AW (6am – 10pm, Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm Saturday & Sunday)