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GV Woodworkers — Greater Shepparton’s Christmas elves

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Gift of giving: FamilyCare child and family service alliance executive assistant Katie Huddleston receiving the toys from GV Woodworkers club secretary Emma Hofmeyer.

Hundreds of children will be opening gifts made by Shepparton’s GV Woodworkers on Christmas Day.

Throughout the year, the club’s members crafted toys from donated wood.

So, whether it’s a blue wooden car or a wooden duck, these toys will brighten children’s faces and spread Christmas cheer.

The toys: Each year members of GV Woodworkers make toys for Children in the lead-up to Christmas.

One of the charities to which the club donated the gifts was FamilyCare Shepparton.

FamilyCare Child and Family Service Alliance executive assistant Katie Huddleston expressed her gratitude to GV Woodworkers and thanked the group for its continued support.

“(Woodworkers) have been donating for many years. There are a lot of families in Shepparton that have received gifts from the woodworkers through FamilyCare,” she said.

The club also generously donated $750 to two charities to help support their projects.

This year, the recipients were GV Hospice Care and People Supporting People.

Cheque handover: GV Woodworkers president Emily Slaughter handing over a $750 cheque to People Supporting People committee member Azem Elmaz.

President Emily Slaughter said the club had been donating to various charities and community organisations for around 25 years.

Each year the donations include up to 600 toys to three charities and two financial donations to community organisations.

To date, the club has have donated almost 17,000 toys.

Made with love: To date the club has crafted more than 16,000 toys.

“We make the toys ourselves throughout the year. Members (also) volunteer their time, and we get donations of wood from various places to help us make the toys,” Ms Slaughter said.

The club was founded in 1984 as a woodturning organisation by a group of men who regularly got together to socialise, chat about wood and do some turning.

Now the club, which is open to men and women of all ages, boasts a membership of over 120 people.

Handcrafted: More toys made by GV Woodworkers.