Thanks to Gazette readers for your Christmas gifts for needy kids

The appeal was launched in partnership with North East charity Hope 4 Kidz – which helps disabled and disadvantaged young people across the region – and the support of staff at designated drop-off points.

We asked you to dig deep while you were out doing your Christmas shopping and you responded by donating hundreds of gifts.

Your gifts mean youngsters will wake up to a present on Christmas Day that they would otherwise not have got and others will have a visit to hospital made that little bit better.

The organisations who will benefit from your kindness are South Tyneside District Hospital, The South Tyneside Refuge and Together For Children.

The hospital gives your presents to youngsters who are being treated over the festive period.

Viv Watts, chief executive of Hope 4 Kidz, said: “We have already donated more than 3,179 gifts to community groups and hospitals around the area. We have had gifts in from all over the area, from both businesses and the general public.

“Without the kind support of the drop off points – Morrisons, in Ocean Road, South Shields, and Cafe Mio, in Sunderland Road, South Shields – the appeal would be hard to fulfill. It is truly amazing to see the generosity of the people.

“A huge thank you to all who once again have made another little life brighter for Christmas. It is fantastic to see how generous people are.

“Every year it astounds me to see how many gifts are donated and the value of them .

“They gifts make a huge difference to those families who, without your help, would not be able to celebrate Christmas .”

Gavin Foster, Head of Print and Curation at the Shields Gazette, said: “Once again the generosity of our readers is astonishing.

“Each year we launch the appeal and hope that our readers will dig deep to help those less fortunate.

“We cannot thank you enough for making the appeal the success that it is. In what are still very tough times for many of us, our readers have dug deep to help those less fortunate and to give youngsters something special this Christmas.”