Christmas doesn’t look the same for everyone, and in recognising that, one Shepparton couple has stepped up to ensure others aren’t missing out this festive season.
Paul and Alison Nicklin have rebooted their Chocolate Elf campaign after a temporary hiatus due to COVID-19.
The Chocolate Elf drive collects advent calendars, chocolate stockings, books for kids doing it tough this season, and toiletries for the Goulburn Valley’s homeless.
The couple started the Chocolate Elf campaign in 2018 after getting some inspiration from the other side of the world — the town of Northampton in the United Kingdom.
“I had a couple of school friends in England who had set up the Chocolate Elves from the town I came from, and that was probably in 2016,” Mr Nicklin said.
“In 2017, I sent over some lollies and stuff from here and some socks for the homeless, and they said you should do it in Shepparton, so with a bit of gentle persuasion, we decided to start it in 2018.”
That year, they started the Chocolate Elf drive with only two collection boxes.
The following year, they expanded to seven boxes.
This year, they’ve hit 13 boxes around the community.
So far, they’ve received 260 advent calendars, 150 chocolate stockings, 200 books and 500 toiletry items.
“For some businesses, we have to go multiple times to empty their collection boxes,” Mrs Nicklin said.
“It’s taken off, and each year it gets bigger with more and more donations and more businesses.”
The donations will go to Beyond Housing, the Children’s Ward, Berry Street, The Bridge Youth Service, and Family Care.
The couple are thankful for the community’s support this year, saying it’s a testament to the generosity of Shepparton.
“It’s just snowballed to all these businesses taking it on and supporting us, and obviously, the locals have all donated, and it’s been amazing,” Mr Nicklin said.
“It’s incredible to think, Shepp’s been through the floods and COVID-19 and stuff, and yet they’re all still out there donating and trying to help others.”
They have also received toys for kids, which they said are also welcome, and are calling out to the community to keep donating, with their most recent call out being for books and gifts for teenagers.
Collection for advent calendars will continue at the below locations until close of business Wednesday, November 29, as they will be distributing them the following day so kids can start the countdown to Christmas.
Donations for books, chocolate stockings and toiletries will continue until Wednesday, December 20.
For more information visit their Facebook page, The Chocolate Elf - Shepparton.
Collection areas
Kialla:
Bala Trading
Synergy Traffic Management
Small Friends Childcare
Shepparton:
Delightful Rainbow
Busy Bees Childcare
North End Bakehouse
Wyndham Early Learning Childcare
Donut a Go Go
Higgins Bakery
GV Packaging
Beauty by Riley
Mooroopna:
MacIsaac Road Takeaway
Bowser Bean Cafe