Bishop Vesey Grammar School’s Christmas Giving Tree is returning for another year to boost charitable causes.

Every year, the Bishop Vesey Grammar School’s cohort of Charity Officers (Year 13) and Charity Interns (Year 12) develop a year’s Charity Plan, getting all students involved in raising money and awareness for a whole range of good causes.

The Giving Tree – Spirit of Christmas, which started as one Intern’s idea a few years ago, has grown and developed in significance and become an annual fixture in the school calendar.

The Charity Officers and Charity Interns teams have combined and increased their ambitions to gather as many gifts in-kind as possible to donate to their three chosen charities – YMCA, St Basils Hostel and St Giles Hospice.

The YMCA are asking for a range of gift donations including children’s toys, hats and gloves, chocolates and activity packs. St Basils Hostel is asking for food, clothes, toiletries, pots and pans, towels, bedding and activities and games.

St Giles Hospice is asking for a range of things including hot water bottles, books, blankets, nightlights, woolly hats and gloves, jigsaws and board games. 

Harry Hubbleday, BVGS charity captain, said: “The Giving Tree in Gracechurch Centre is our festive highlight in our busy charity-oriented year. The students identify a range of charitable causes to help and then devise a variety of voluntary and fund-raising activities.

“The whole approach is shaped and delivered by the students’ own efforts. We believe it is important for each student to develop a lifetime ethos of helping good causes.”

Phil Wheat of Wm Wheat & Son has donated the Christmas tree erected in Gracechurch Centre, Sutton Coldfield which is decorated by the charity team.

The business interns, school officers and other Year 12 and 13 students will help the charity teams by attending the tree and giving out flyers which identify the type of gifts needed.

In the School’s main reception, they have their equivalent Giving Tree. It forms the collection point for all BVGS students and their families to donate their in-kind gifts for these three causes.

The students wrap up all gifts in festive paper and on Monday 19 December, will distribute them to the three charities.