Joy This Christmas Campaign – Spreading Happiness Since 2018
In 2018, Eltham’s Head of Facilities Brenda Parara launched the Joy This Christmas campaign with a mission to bring happiness to children and families who need it most. Since then, this annual initiative has grown year after year, reaching more families and spreading even more joy.
Each child supported by the campaign receives a large gift bag filled with thoughtful items. These typically include a selection of books, small toys or something special they’ve wished for. Alongside these, children receive cozy essentials like pyjamas, hats and scarf sets, as well as festive treats including selection boxes and hot chocolate.
The generosity of students, staff, and families from Eltham College has been at the heart of this success, from donating gifts to contributing to the GoFundMe page, which raised over £2,000 last year. Special thanks go to the students who dedicated the past two days to sorting through the wonderful donations.
Thank you to everyone who has given their time, money, and gifts. Together, we’re making this Christmas truly joyful for those who need it most.
How can you help?
Donations are sought in numerous ways:
- Collections across a range of schools – including Eltham, of course – for the first two weeks of December.
- Collections from people’s homes
- Amazon Wish List or
- Go Fund Me page
Parents/ Staff can follow the Instagram and Facebook pages to see their journey unfold through the coming weeks and how their donations have been used.
https://www.instagram.com/joythischristmas2025 or https://www.facebook.com/Joythischristmas
