The Smiles at Christmas campaign runs until the end of December 2016 and is calling on Sun readers to meet the challenge by donating toys and teddies (new or in good condition) to benefit four charities who work closely children at home and abroad. The Sun will also be asking for cash donations which will be split equally between the charities.
The four charities that will be supported this year are:
• Scotty’s Little Soldiers: for children who will be spending Christmas without a parent because they gave their lives while serving in the armed forces
• AMAR: helping those children forced to flee Mosul after being terrorised by ISIS, leaving all of their possessions behind
• Children with Cancer UK: the leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer
• Women’s Aid: supporting children who have been forced to leave home to escape domestic abuse
Tony Gallagher, editor-in-chief of The Sun, said: “Sun readers never fail to amaze me with their generosity towards those in need. This Christmas we want to bring a smile to the faces of children affected by war, disease and family troubles, so please dig a little deeper and make sure 2017 is the start of something special for these kids.”
McColl’s Chief Executive Jonathan Miller said: “McColl’s has a long history of supporting charities for children and young people. In recent years, we have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for organisations leading research into sudden cardiac death for young adults. Now we are proud to support The Sun and its #SmilesAtChristmas appeal. Our colleagues will be on hand from early in the morning to late in the evening every day from now until December 9 helping Sun readers donate as many toys as possible.”
The Sun has high profile celebrities on board and messages from Simon Cowell, Honey G, Claudia Winkleman, Ant Middleton and Judge Rinder can be found on The Sun website and on a dedicated Facebook page. Throughout the campaign, there will be features on each of the charities online and in print.
