A children's charity will deliver thousands of presents to vulnerable children and young people across North Staffordshire this Christmas. 

A Child's Heart will distribute gift bags including toys, books, games, toiletries and clothing through Staffordshire County Council's Family support hubs in Newcastle and the Staffordshire Moorlands. 

Volunteers from the charity have been busy collecting and wrapping the gifts which will be given out in the coming weeks, this year supporting over 1000 children. 

A Child's Heart was set up in 2022 to remind children in care homes, shelters and refuges that they have not been forgotten, especially around the Christmas period.  

Russ Lewis, a trustee at A Child's Heart, said: "There are kids waking up on Christmas morning not knowing if they're going to see their parents again, don't know where they are living and certainly don't get any presents. 

"We as a collective decided that kids shouldn't have that choice and that every child should have something to open on Christmas morning."



Jules Armstrong is fondly known as 'Mrs Christmas' (A Child's Heart).

The young people supported through the festive scheme may be in foster care, residential homes, or being supported by the Council's Family Practitioners.

Jules Armstrong, fondly known as 'Mrs Christmas', founded the charity in 2022 and has spent the last few months wrapping presents into the early hours of the morning with friends and family alongside running her own business.

The charity's elves will be making deliveries up to Christmas Eve and encourage donations until then. 

Lewis added: "With the money that we raise, Jules then goes out and buys all the presents, wraps them and delivers them.

"This is the busiest year we've had by far."

Teams at the Newcastle and Staffordshire Moorlands Family Hub's hope the gifts will make a significant difference and will bring immense joy to families in the area.

Mark Sutton, Cabinet member for Children and Young People said: "For some families, they are faced with making impossible decisions like whether to heat their home, buy food and essentials, or a present for their children.  

"Without the generosity of charities, local businesses and members of the public, some may not get a gift otherwise.   

"This is an important project for our teams and one they look forward to each year. Seeing the reactions from families and the looks on children's faces when they receive their gifts is priceless."

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