School pupils wrap up 38 tonnes of presents for disadvantaged children

»A multicoloured double-decker bus set off from Holloway on Monday, laden with presents for disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have a Christmas.

More than 38 tonnes of toys were gathered from companies by the Kindness Offensive – a group dedicated to random acts of generosity which also runs a free bookshop at a former pub in Camden Road.

Delivered

Children from nearby Hungerford School, who helped choose the toys, came to the project on Monday to wrap up presents before the double decker – dubbed the “Kinder Bus” – delivered them to children in hospitals, orphanages, charities, women’s refuges and foster homes.

Robert Williams, co-founder of the Kindess Offensive, said: “We do this to give people a Christmas who might not otherwise get one.

“The schoolchildren helped wrap the presents and have done really well.

“We also want to thank our main donors – the Toy Trust, Hammerson and Caplan underwriters.”

The Kindness offensive does not take contributions from the public – only companies.

Catherine Mclaughlin, a teacher from Hungerford School, said: “Our kids had to choose things they would like to get for Christmas, then give them away.

“They really got into the spirit of things – trying to outdo each other with how many toys they could stuff in each stocking.

“It’s nice for them to realise unused spaces like this former pub can serve the community.

“We’re very proud of them all.”

The Kindness Project opened on the former site of the Latin Corner pub in October and aims to give away 100,000 books.