They may not be able to make it home from hospital, or have time to buy gifts. 

For the past five years a Cundletown family has been helping those doing it tough during the festive season. 

Deena Currie, with the help of her husband Darren, collect Christmas gift donations for those in need.

To do this, Deena hosts a Christmas party with a slight difference. 

Each guest is asked to bring a plate of finger food and instead of a gift for each other, they bring a gift that is to be donated. The gifts range from colouring books to Hot Wheels cars, and are each packaged up as exciting gift bags for children. 

The donations went to the children’s ward at Manning Hospital and 30 bags also went to Ronald McDonald’s Forster Retreat. 

This year businesses took part, with Robert Woollard from Wingham Coles organising a large toy donation. Individual staff members from Manning Tax and Business Consultants and All About Conveyancing also donated gifts. 

At Christmas “people like to get together and have a party, so why not by a gift and donate to charity to,” said Darren Currie. 

A great idea, to help those needing some extra Christmas cheer.