THANKS to the generosity of The Bolton News readers hundreds of families celebrated Christmas with a smile this year.

Our Caring Christmas Appeal, run with the Bolton Lions Charity, has helped 566 families with a record number of children coming forward for presents — 1,039 compared with 909 last year.

The charity has delivered up to 6,000 presents to needy families in Bolton.

It is a huge ask but each year the dedicated charity workers tirelessly collect thousands of donated gifts and take them to their warehouse.

They also go out and buy many gifts before the big day.

Any pre-owned toys were carefully checked — all jigsaws pieces painstakingly counted and all battery-operated toys tested before they were sent out to homes.

Many of the toys and gifts are new. We were also lucky enough to receive many gifts for older boys and girls who we always struggle to find presents for.

Bolton Lions — who give up their free time on a voluntary basis — have worked all year to ensure the appeal has enough money to buy presents in December.

In November they held a quiz night at Gentings Casino and almost £1,300 was raised.

“The casino provided all food and soft drinks free of charge was well as providing the majority of the auction prizes,” said Lion John Crompton.

Mr Crompton explained this was the second year the charity had been involved in a joint venture with The Rotary Club of Bolton Lever to help raise funds for the Caring Christmas Appeal.

“In this venture we used a sleigh and collected money by going from door to door in Bolton as well as collecting money at several pubs and restaurants as well as supermarkets.

“Our greatest need was for a car to pull the sleigh and BCC Group provided us with a fantastic new car, which they decorated for us.

“Without the generous loan of this car we would not have been able to use the sleigh this year.

“We would also like to thank Christine Baldwin from Asda at Astley Bridge.

“Christine has been involved with our appeal for three years now and as well as ensuring that our profile is high at Asda in Astley Bridge she has also managed to get two new venues to provide us with toys — Asda Daubhill and Forrest Construction.”

Mr Crompton also praised the generosity of Bolton News readers who have donated gifts and toys both in our offices in The Wellsprings and also by ringing Lions who collected them from their homes.

“They can be assured that there were hundreds of Bolton children having a very merry Christmas thanks to their generosity,” he said.