Brumwish Christmas appeal returns to help city’s most vulnerable children - how you can help

Brumwish is back for 2024. And people across Birmingham and the West Midlands are being urged to back our annual campaign delivering toys to children most in need this Christmas.

Backed by partners across the city and made possible by dozens of volunteers, it comes as we face a child poverty emergency. As we’ve reported extensively this year, more kids than ever before are growing up in poverty, being raised in care and even facing homelessness in the UK's second city.

Edgbaston Stadium will again transform into Santa’s Grotto, acting as the main present storage, sorting and distribution centre for the festive campaign. In recent years kind hearted people across the region have donated 1,000s of gifts for vulnerable youngsters.

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.

SPECIAL REPORT: Why the scandal of child poverty must end - and how we need to fix it

An online gift wish list has been created for anyone who is able to buy an extra present. For many children, they wouldn’t get a gift at Christmas at all if it wasn’t for the Brumwish campaign.

Graeme Brown, editor of BirminghamLive, said: "Birmingham's child poverty crisis grows clearer every year, which means Brumwish gets more and more important. No parent ever wants to be in a situation where they can’t afford to buy a present for their child at this special time. But for many that will be the reality this year.

“Being able to give a child just one gift could make such a difference for that family. We see each year the joy donations can help bring and urge people to please join the effort again."

Esther Lau-Mackaay, Edgbaston’s community engagement officer, added: “We’re proud to play our part in Brumwish 2024. The campaign was only launched a few days ago and already we’ve received more than 200 gifts. They will bring a smile to the faces of children for whom Christmas would otherwise be just another day on the calendar.”

Presents can be dropped off at Edgbaston Stadium on Friday December 6 between 10am and 3pm, Saturday December 7 between 10am and 1pm or Monday December 9 between 10am and 1pm.

Volunteers will be on hand to help and people are being asked not to wrap the gifts.

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