A rallying call for festive fundraisers has been issued to schools, community groups and businesses across Bradford to help bring the magic of Christmas to children living in poverty.

We have teamed up with Bradford-based charity, the Human Relief Foundation, for the Telegraph & Argus Children’s Secret Santa Appeal to bring light into the lives of some of the 37,000 youngsters in Bradford who may not have a present to open on Christmas morning.

Donations have been flooding in since the initiative started on Friday, but we need your money-making ideas to boost the coffers and bring festive joy to as many children as possible.

Sarah Gate, of the Human Relief Foundation, said: “We want people to get into the Christmas spirit and organise their own fundraising events to support the appeal. We want the whole Bradford community to get involved.

“As we get closer to Christmas, we hope people will start to feel more festive and that schools, community groups and organisations across the city will hold events to help us buy toys for children who would otherwise go without.

“We’ve already heard from a number of companies who’ve come up with some creative ways of raising money, which is fantastic, but we want to get as many people involved as possible.”

Villagers in Calverley have had a bright idea to support the appeal as part of a Christmas countdown.

From Saturday, residents will start to decorate 25 festive Advent windows in homes and businesses across the village and they will all be linked to carols and Yuletide songs.

Organisers are asking people who come to see it to send in donations to the T&A appeal.

The living calendar displays will be lit at dusk each evening and maps of the trail will be available at the post office.

Organiser Gael Timbers, of the Creative Calverley project, said: “We’re delighted to support the T&A’s Secret Santa Appeal and hope people will come and have so much fun they’ll be inspired to give generously and spread a bit of Christmas magic to children who need it.”