Children's Christmas wishes for 'clean clothes' or 'anything' amid the cost of living crisis left staff at a pub in tears.
The Percy Arms in Chatton, Northumberland, set up a Christmas tree as part of a present giving scheme in which children can write down their Christmas wish on a tag and hang it on the tree.
Customers can then take the tag and choose to buy a gift or fulfil a child's wish.
But amid the crippling cost of living crisis, pub staff were left shocked and heartbroken by some of the incredible humble requests children had made.
One child had asked for 'clean clothes' while another had simply written 'anything' on their wish tag, reports Chronicle Live.
Another 15-year-old girl wrote: "A present for my dad. He’s sad since my mum died and not in a good place."
Meanwhile, an eight-year-old girl wrote: “Clean clothes, please. Mine are dirty."
And a six-year-old's tag said: "Something to make with mammy." A 17-year-old boy's note, written on his behalf, said simply: "Anything, as he’s used to getting nothing."
Staff at the Percy Arms are hopeful kind customers will help it fulfil the Christmas dreams of the children.
Organiser Oliver Bennet said the children’s requests “had shaken each and every one of us to the core".
He added: "You can read about hardship and food banks and poverty. But to see, written down in black and white, young children asking simply for some clean clothes for Christmas – well, that really hits you.
"And many of them – despite having so little themselves – put others’ happiness before their own. That’s the real spirit of Christmas isn’t it – and it’s heartbreaking that it’s taking children to remind us of that."
In total, Christmas for All is looking for gifts for around 2,000 children in south east Northumberland alone, some of whom have been referred to them by other organisations or local authorities and others who have been self-referred.
