‘There’s huge exclusion for children without presents this Christmas - it’s heartbreakingly upsetting’

Amid the hum of the seasonal holiday, there exists a dismal reality for many children - Christmas morning might not promise unwrapping presents and festivities.

For many of them, the reality is where a festive gift is far from guaranteed, and even a proper meal on Christmas day is uncertain. Lewey Hellewell, founder of food poverty-charity Humans MCR, points to the pile of wrapping paper in the hub and says, “There’s huge fears of exclusion for children who might not receive presents this Christmas.

“‘What did you get for Christmas?’ It’s the first question children ask on the first day back to school and if a child has to say they didn’t get anything, well, that’s where shame takes root and grows.”

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The absence of gifts and inability to partake in joyful traditions goes beyond missing out for children - it’s an early immersion into the burdens of adulthood.

“Schools make a huge deal of Christmas with nativities and plays, so children are well aware if they are without this holiday. I think that burdens children with adult problems that they should be too young to think about. It’s heartbreakingly upsetting,” Lewey says.

He adds: “Parents also see what they can’t provide. People are bombarded in supermarkets, adverts, and social media with gift giving and that only adds to that sense of failure as an adult. The mental health issues that can be borne are huge, complex, and long lasting.”

However, at the Blackley-based charity, Humans MCR, a critical initiative is underway to help