Learn About Our Charity
The Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal is a registered charity that raises money throughout the year to help the city’s most disadvantaged children and young people at Christmas time.
Every year, more and more children in Bristol face a bleak Christmas. It is one of the UK’s most prosperous cities but shockingly has the highest proportion of young people in poverty in the South West. Lawrence Hill is one of the UK’s poorest areas with 60% of children in poverty
Our volunteers work throughout the year to raise a total of £82,500 through a gala dinner, carol concert and other events. Through the generosity of individuals, schools, organisations and businesses, we are able to help a total of 1,650 of the city’s children who are most in need. These vouchers are administered by Bristol City Council. This allows us to give each child a £15 voucher for gifts or clothing and a £35 voucher for food.
This year, more than ever, we need your support to help children in Bristol.
Upcoming Events
Gala Dinner 2026
We are pleased to announce our fabulous Gala dinner is back on again for 2026!…
Santa’s Sleigh 2025
Join us for our 2025 Santa’s Sleigh event, every year this event is popular and…
Carol Concert 2025
Our 2024 Christmas Carol Concert had a fantastic turnout, thank you to all who attended…
Recent Updates & News
Meet Our 2025 Carol Concert Compere: The Wonderful Lisa Cadd
We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s Lord Mayor of Bristol Children’s Appeal Carol Concert…
Bristol Businesses Support the 2025 Christmas Toy Drive
The Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children’s Appeal is once again calling on local businesses to…
Can You Support us with our 2025 Toy drive?
Join Our Christmas Toy Drive and Spread Joy to Children in Need! Our toy drive…
Social Media
Transparency is everything.
After the incredible success of our recent Gala Dinner, we've had many of you asking: how do you actually identify Bristol's most disadvantaged children? Who decides which families receive support?
It's a question we're proud to answer, because transparency is at the heart of everything we do.
Here's exactly how it works:
✅ Social workers, doctors, teachers, and health visitors refer families they're already supporting through Bristol's services. These are trusted professionals who see firsthand which children are struggling most in our community.
✅ Every single referral is carefully reviewed by our volunteer committee to ensure eligibility and that support reaches those in greatest need.
✅ Eligible children receive £60 in vouchers for food, gifts, and clothing – practical support that makes a real difference at Christmas.
This isn't guesswork. It's not random selection. It's a coordinated effort between the charity, frontline professionals across Bristol, and our dedicated volunteer committee to make sure we reach children who need it most.
That's the promise behind the Lord Mayor's name. That's why Bristol businesses trust us with their partnerships. That's how we've operated with integrity since the 1920s.
If your organisation wants to be part of this mission – send us a DM. We'll show you exactly how your partnership makes Christmas better for disadvantaged children in our city. ... See MoreSee Less
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This year's Lord Mayor has championed culture and the arts throughout their term, and we were honoured to weave that vision into our Gala Dinner at Ashton Gate.
Thanks to an incredible partnership with UWE Bristol's School of Art, our guests experienced the talent of Bristol's emerging artists firsthand. MA Printmaking students and staff donated a special edition of 60 miniature prints - each one unique, numbered, and signed. MA Fine Art students contributed stunning large-scale paintings, and BA Photography students showcased beautifully framed works that captured Bristol's character and creativity.
Every piece told a story. Every piece celebrated Bristol's creative spirit. And every piece reminded us why the arts matter, especially for the 1,650 children we're working to support this Christmas.
This is what community looks like: established institutions and emerging artists, civic leaders and students, all standing together for Bristol's most vulnerable young people. In a city as prosperous as Bristol, no child should be left behind at Christmas.
To UWE's School of Art - the MA and BA students, the staff, and everyone who made this collaboration possible - thank you for sharing your extraordinary talent with our mission. Your work didn't just beautify our event; it reminded every guest why Bristol's creativity and compassion go hand in hand.
Bristol's prosperity includes its culture. Bristol's children deserve to be part of that story too.
💙 Want to support Bristol's children this Christmas? Whether you're a business looking for a meaningful partnership or an individual wanting to get involved, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a message or email today.
Bristol Lord Mayor UWE Bristol ... See MoreSee Less
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WINNER! 🎉
We were delighted to welcome Aaron and his family to Funderworld for a fantastic day out after winning the latest Whats on Bristol competition 🏆.
A brilliant day of fun, laughter 😄and memories made 📸!
Make sure you’re following our page for the latest news and competitions 🔔. You could be our next lucky winner 🍀✨
🎡 Open until 4 May 2026
❗ Closed: 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 April
🚗 Free On-Site Parking
🛡 Security Controlled Site
📍 Durdham Downs, Bristol, BS9 1FG
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: www.funderworld.com ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Chair Joy was speechless - and that's saying something.
Thursday night, Bristol's business community gathered at our Gala Dinner and showed exactly what's possible when we come together for our city's children.
MCS donated £30,000. Consort Services contributed £5,000. Auction bids, table sponsorships, and donations kept coming all evening - every pound going directly to vouchers for children in Bristol's most deprived areas.
The generosity in that room was extraordinary.
This is what happens when local businesses decide no child should be left behind at Christmas. No ambiguity about where the money goes. No overhead dilution. Just transparent support for the children who need it most.
If your business wants to be part of this mission, we'd love to talk. And if this resonates with you, share it with other Bristol business leaders who care about our community's future.
Thank you to everyone who attended, donated, and stood with Bristol's children. In a city as prosperous as ours, you're proving that we can ensure every child experiences the Christmas they deserve.
Bristol Lord Mayor ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Gala Dinner was extraordinary. We raised £62,634.27 and the support from this community has been overwhelming.
But here's the thing: the work doesn't stop. The need doesn't disappear after one night. We're already thinking about what comes next, how we keep this momentum going, how we continue standing with Bristol's children all year round.
And we want to hear from you.
What summer fundraising events or activities would you like to see? A charity run? A community festival? A corporate challenge? Something we haven't thought of yet?
You know your teams, your networks, your communities better than we do. So tell us: what would get Bristol excited? What would bring people together? What would make it easy for more businesses and individuals to get involved?
Drop your ideas in the comments or send us a message. We're listening, and we're ready to build something brilliant together.
Bristol's children deserve our creativity, our energy, and our commitment every single month of the year. Let's keep the buzz going. 💙
Bristol Lord Mayor ... See MoreSee Less
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