Key Points:
- The Mercury Shopping Centre in Romford surpasses its Christmas Giving Tree appeal target for 2025.
- Donations support both families in a Havering women’s refuge and hospital patients this festive season.
- The campaign, now in its third decade, continues to grow stronger each year.
- The appeal was supported by the Romford Recorder and partnered for the first time with the King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity.
- Gifts included items from a “Dream List”, gift vouchers, toys, and seasonal treats.
- Centre Manager Natalie Bays praised the community’s generosity in ensuring “no one is forgotten” this Christmas.
How did the Mercury Shopping Centre’s Giving Tree appeal start?
According to The Romford Recorder, the Giving Tree appeal was first launched more than 30 years ago as a community initiative aimed at ensuring local people in need could experience the joy of Christmas.
In previous years, the campaign mainly focused on supporting women and children living in shelters or temporary accommodation. Each donor visiting the shopping centre could pick a tag from the Giving Tree, which lists a desired gift item, then return it wrapped and labelled. Over the years, the project has become one of the key festive highlights for the borough.
What makes this year’s appeal special?
This year’s appeal distinguished itself through both its expanded reach and its new partnership with healthcare charities. As reported by Jessica Day-Parker of the Romford Recorder, The Mercury collaborated with the King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity for the first time.
This milestone partnership meant that for the first time, gifts from the appeal reached individuals spending Christmas in hospital wards — ensuring no patient was left without festive cheer.
“This year’s appeal saw its reach expand through a new partnership with the King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity,”
Bays told the Romford Recorder, adding that the campaign’s continued growth underscores how small community acts can yield large impacts across Havering.
Donations included toys, personal care items, winter clothing, and items selected from the campaign’s “Dream List” — a curated set of gifts designed to meet the expressed wishes of women and children supported by local charity services.
Who benefited from the Giving Tree appeal in 2025?
The Mercury’s Giving Tree 2025 managed to support two main groups this year:
- every family in a women’s refuge within Havering, and
- patients spending Christmas at King George and Queen’s Hospitals.
As reported by Local London News on 22 December, members of the refuge community were “overwhelmed” by the response. Staff described the initiative as “more than just presents — it’s a sign that people care.”
According to Havering Council’s Community Updates Newsletter, hospital staff worked alongside volunteers from the King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity to distribute the donated gifts across hospital wards in time for Christmas Day. Items ranged from pampering sets for adults to art materials and books for children.
Why is community engagement crucial for The Mercury’s festive campaigns?
Community involvement has been at the heart of The Mercury’s success throughout its three decades of Christmas appeals. In comments to The Romford Recorder, Bays emphasised the significance of public participation, saying:
“What makes this truly special is not just the gifts themselves – it’s the kindness and community spirit behind them. Every single donation represents thoughtfulness and compassion shown by local people.”
The appeal’s ongoing success reflects a broader trend seen across the UK in 2025, where local shopping centres and town hubs have been reclaiming their role as community anchors, particularly during economically challenging periods.
As noted by Retail Gazette, such initiatives play a vital role in maintaining footfall during the festive season while simultaneously fostering civic pride and philanthropy.
How do charitable partnerships strengthen such campaigns?
The introduction of a healthcare charity partnership marked a significant turning point for The Mercury’s Giving Tree. As covered by Barking and Dagenham Post, the collaboration with the King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity not only increased the campaign’s reach but also diversified its beneficiaries.
A spokesperson for the hospital charity told Local Guardian:
“We’re enormously grateful to The Mercury team and the local community for their kindness. These gifts bring unexpected joy to patients spending the holidays away from loved ones.”
By broadening its partnerships, The Mercury ensures more seamless coordination between businesses, charities, and social services, maximising the overall social value of every donation collected.
What was the public and media response to the campaign’s success?
Local media outlets have extensively covered the triumph of this year’s appeal, highlighting Romford’s strong sense of community.
The Romford Recorder—which has supported the appeal for several years—reported that volunteers and staff gathered at the shopping centre earlier this month to help organise the influx of donated gifts. Photographs published by the outlet captured rows of colourful parcels stacked beneath the centre’s sparkling Christmas display, each tagged with a handwritten message.
Social media also played an influential role. Through The Mercury’s Facebook and Instagram channels, residents shared photos of themselves dropping off donations, using hashtags such as MercuryvingTree and Havering Christmaspeal. Many posts lauded the centre’s “community-first attitude” and described the initiative as an “annual tradition of kindness.”
Local council representatives, including Cllr. Damian White of Havering Council, commended the centre’s work, calling it “a remarkable demonstration of how business and community can come together for good.”
What does this achievement mean for the future of The Mercury’s Giving Tree?
Looking ahead, Natalie Bays suggested that the Giving Tree initiative will continue to evolve, aiming to reach even wider sectors of the community.
Speaking to The Romford Recorder, she said:
“We’re already thinking about how next year’s appeal can go further. Every year teaches us something new about the power of community generosity.”
In an interview with Essex Live, she elaborated that future goals include increasing collaboration with schools, workplaces, and local volunteers to make the donation process even more inclusive.
Retail analysts also see important lessons in such campaigns. As per Retail Week’s December feature on seasonal giving, initiatives like the Mercury Giving Tree highlight how malls can play an integral social role well beyond commerce — becoming “micro-communities” that embody shared values and compassion.
How does the Mercury Shopping Centre plan to stay engaged with the community?
Beyond the Christmas season, The Mercury Shopping Centre hosts several ongoing community initiatives, including youth art projects, charity fundraisers, and local business showcases.
The Giving Tree remains its flagship seasonal event. As noted by The Romford Recorder, staff plan to keep the public updated through community newsletters and social media channels, encouraging people to get involved earlier next year.
Bays concluded:
“This is the kind of goodwill we want to see all year round. Whether it’s through donations, volunteering, or simply offering kindness to a stranger — it all adds up.”
The triumph of The Mercury Shopping Centre’s 2025 Christmas Giving Tree appeal goes beyond meeting donation targets. It demonstrates the unwavering community spirit across Havering — a region that, year after year, proves that kindness remains the best gift of all.
