The Giving Tree has been running in Reading for years now, with many lives enriched through the kindness of a Secret Santa. Connect Reading started running it for the town of Reading over 10 years ago.  We’ve helped connect thousands of gifts each year with local people in need – even during the challenges of the pandemic.

We work with our member nonprofits who ask those they support what gift they most want (up to £15). We then ensure that the very gift they’ve requested gets to them for Christmas by working with local businesses and doing a public appeal hosted in The Oracle Shopping Centre.

If you can’t make it to the Oracle to take a tag, why not donate online and Connect Reading will purchase gifts from your donation!

We have a Giving Tree Song! Why not purchase the song here and all donations go towards Giving Tree Gifts!

The Giving Tree 2022 in numbers:

• 1,535 gifts received, worth £23,025
• £4,984 raised online to buy gifts
• 342  gifts given at The Oracle, worth £5,814
• £7,170 worth of gifts & donations given by local Reading businesses
• 22 local charities, schools & the hospital worked with their beneficiaries to ensure chosen gifts were received
• £2,357 underwritten by Connect Reading from our reserves, to make sure no one went without at Christmas

The Giving Tree 2021 in numbers:

• 2,075 gifts received, worth £21,405
• Over £6k raised online for gifts
• £8,235 worth of gifts given by the public through The Oracle
• £7,170 worth of gifts & donations given by local Reading businesses
• 21 local charities, schools & the hospital worked with their beneficiaries to ensure chosen gifts were received
• £4,573 underwritten by Connect Reading from our reserves, to make sure no one went without at Christmas