Your Mission Christmas donations help us deliver £2m worth of presents so far
With just over two weeks to go to the big day, our Mission Christmas elves are already working overtime
This year's Mission Christmas appeal is on course to be the busiest ever!
With more than two weeks to go before the big day, our elves are working overtime to turn thousands of applications into a gift for a child who otherwise wouldn't get one.
Because of your generosity so far, we've already been able to send out toys and gifts out for more than 50,000 disadvantaged young people.
Unprecedented demand for gifts this year
A combination of social, political and economic factors means more families than ever before are relying on Mission Christmas this year.
Across the UK, we've received applications for gifts for more than a quarter of a million children.
That's even higher than the total number of families we supported in 2020, so your generosity is more important than ever.
In the southern region, which covers Dorset, Salisbury, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, there have already been over 17,000 applications made.
Find your nearest drop off
Generous businesses and organisations across the country are collecting gifts for us in our Mission Christmas drop off points
You can find your nearest drop off point on the Mission Christmas website
What sort of gifts do we need?
Please buy an extra gift for Mission Christmas if you can, and we'll make sure that it gets to a disadvantaged child so they'll wake up to something under the tree on Christmas morning. All gifts should be new and unwrapped.
This year, we're seeing a huge demand for gifts for under 3s, as well as teenagers, particularly those aged 15-18.
Don't forget, at that age, some older children prefer vouchers, toiletry gift sets, or fragrances.
If you need any extra help, you can buy something direct from our wishlist, or make a donation online, and we'll do the rest
Mission Christmas 2021 backdrop
Children living in poverty
In March 2020, 4.3m children were living in poverty in the UK. That's 30% of all children, and 500,000 more than five years ago.
It's feared the pandemic and the economic situation caused by Brexit has made the situation even worse
Money worries
The £20 a week increase in Universal Credit introduced at the start of the pandemic was removed by the government in October.
Campaigners says the cut to income affects the poorest members of society just as prices are starting to rise.
Energy prices rise
Inflation is increasing as we head towards Christmas.
That means we all have to pay more for day-to-day items.
The price of gas has rocketed since the summer, leaving some families choosing between heating their homes or feeding their families.
Working families struggling
Three-quarters of children living in poverty are from households where at least one parent works. That's up from two-thirds in 2014-15.
Where is worst hit?
There are people living in poverty across the UK, but the highest numbers are in cities with the biggest populations, London and Birmingham.
Wales has the highest rate per nation while poverty is increasing at its fastest rate in the North East.