If you are a young person and would like to get involved, or a professional who would like to support the plan, please get in touch at Voice@newcastle.gov.uk
Evry Christmas Campaign
In 2024 the city council, Evry partners and Newcastle residents worked together to spread Christmas magic to children and young people. The focus was collecting Christmas gifts and increasing access to festive experiences for Children in Need and Care Leavers.
The Christmas gift collection was a combined effort between Newcastle City Council staff, local businesses and Newcastle residents. City council staff contributed to Christmas Tree collections at the Civic Centre and Allendale Road, and residents and businesses purchased gifts via an Amazon wish list.
Across the Christmas gift collection, over 1800 gifts were donated for Care Leavers and Children in Need. The total value of gifts bought via the Amazon wish list and gift-card vouchers via Evry partners was over £6,000. All the Christmas gifts were wrapped by volunteers.


Through the festive period, over 1,500 free tickets were distributed to major events, including Theatre Royal Pantomime, Northern Stage, Santa Stories workshop, ice-skating at Centre for Life, a matchday experience with Newcastle United Foundation and the Northern Lights experience in Leazes Park.
Newcastle Theatre Royal offered over 700 free tickets to the Little Mermaid Pantomime, an in-kind contribution up too £20,000. Children, young people and families that attended the pantomime rated it at an average of 4.91 / 5.
Families shared some brilliant comments on their experience,
“Can I just say how much of a wonderful time we had last night, personally I've not laughed so hard for a very long time - tears were streaming! But also, for my daughter who was so happy to be there and loved every minute of it. I think she relaxed a lot when she realised most of those around us were from the same community as hers!”
“I have never seen the kids laugh so much.. they have never stopped talking about it. Please pass our appreciation on to all that work there for making the kids Christmas so special.”
“We’re delighted to be part of the Evry programme. It is so important to give opportunities to children and young people in this city, particularly from our perspective, creative opportunities and opportunities to come to the theatre. It makes such a difference to young people’s health and wellbeing, their self-esteem & confidence to come and have fun in a creative environment. We will continue that commitment every year, giving a performance of the pantomime to children and young people and their families via the Evry programme.”
Christmas parties
For Newcastle Care Leavers, the 16+ participation group co-designed a Christmas Party. Young people designed the buffet and the entertainment.
Student DJs, studying at Newcastle College, provided the music entertainment and Arts & Design students designed table decorations and Christmas cards.
