Children at the NSPCC’s Bristol service have been receiving special Christmas treats this year, thanks to the generosity of Santander and a representatives from a number of Bristol businesses.
Santander staff from across its Thames Valley and South West region organised a Santander Treat campaign, raising money throughout the year to buy presents for vulnerable and neglected children attending Christmas parties at NSPCC centres in Bristol, Plymouth, Swindon and Southampton. 
Santander staff and customers worked together and with matched funding from the bank raised nearly £10,500.
And an auction hosted by Santander at the NSPCC Bristol Service Centre in Old Market and attended by representatives of many Bristol businesses raised a further £4,000.
At the event were president of NSPCC Bristol Branch and HM Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Mary Prior MBE JP, the High Sheriff of the County and City of Bristol, Michael Bothamley, and the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bristol, Alastair and Susan Watson.
The charity auction was compered by children’s author and celebrity Homes Under the Hammer host Martin Roberts.
Santander director of transactional banking Shameem Forsyth, who led the Santander Treat campaign, said: “We’ve worked together with our customers and professionals from across the region. In addition to the Christmas gifts, the funds will also be used by the service centres to enable them to continue to provide services that are often a lifeline to vulnerable children and their families across the region.”
NSPCC South West head of community fundraising Nigel Impey added: “We are so grateful for the generous support of Santander’s employees in organising the Treat. The overwhelming majority of our funding – more than 90% – comes from public donations and without this sort of dedication and commitment, the impact that we make on children’s lives would not be possible.”
