Volunteers wrap gifts in Maidenhead's Nicholsons Centre to raise funds for Thames Hospice

Volunteers of the Maidenhead Fundraising Group for Thames Hospice have been busy wrapping Christmas gifts in exchange for donations in the Nicholsons Centre.  

The team kicked off its annual Christmas Gift Wrapping initiative on Friday, December 19 and have seen more than 100 people bring along their presents to be wrapped.

The fundraiser has been taking place in the shopping centre each year for around 15 years.

In 2024, £3,000 was raised through the event to support the hospice, which provides palliative and end-of-life care services to those with a terminal illness.  

Jenny Harris, volunteer fundraiser for the group, said this is one of their ‘biggest’ fundraising events for the hospice.  

About 30 people visited the stand to have their presents wrapped on Tuesday, December 23, she added.  

Several volunteers, including members of the Cookham Fundraising Group for Thames Hospice and AVIS car rental company, have been helping to wrap presents and run the stand.  

“We’re trying to raise funds for the hospice, and this is a very successful way of doing it and it’s easy as well.  

“As long as you can get enough volunteers to come along and we’ve got a good bank of volunteers so we’re very lucky,” Jenny said.  

She added: “We’ve had quite a few people who haven’t wanted anything wrapped, they’ve just [wanted] to give some money to the hospice, so it’s a win-win really.” 

The team are hoping they can reach 2024’s fundraising total through this year’s efforts. 

Through its fundraising efforts, the Thames Hospice Maidenhead Fundraising group has raised more than £100,000 for the hospice over the years, Jenny said.  

She added: “It’s always enjoyable, it’s always fun to do, [to] talk to people and find out their stories and everything.”

The team also see regulars who come and get their presents wrapped each year.

“The more groups like this that we have raising money, the more we’ll make for them. [Thames Hospice],” Jenny added.

This looks set to be the group’s last Christmas holding the event in the Nicholsons Centre, which is scheduled to close at the end of June for re-development.  

Jenny reflected on memories over the years in the shopping centre and said the group will be looking for alternative locations in the area to host the event next year.  

She added that there are ‘lots of ways’ people can support the hospice and encouraged then to help in ‘any way’ they can.