THE Children’s Adventure Farm Trust needs readers’ help to bring chocolatey smiles to the faces of hundreds of ill, disabled or disadvantaged children this Christmas as it launches its first Selection Box Appeal.

Each year the charity invites children from across the north west to its base for a day of festive fun, and this year aims to help more children than ever before.

Between Monday, November 19 and Wednesday, December 19 it will be providing parties for 1,200 children, every one of which will leave with arms full of gifts and treats – including a selection box.

Each party will be four hours of festive magic, and will see the children being greeted by a band of merry elves who will entertain them throughout their day.

They will start with festive fun in the sports hall, including a chance to play in their own inflatable snow globe, complete with snowballs.

It will then be time for a disco and party games in Christmas Party Zone before they visit the charity’s Christmas Barn to meet and pet the animals.

They’ll then head down to the Courtyard where they will be greeted by larger-than-life Christmas mascots, including a reindeer, polar bear, Christmas tree and penguin.

The scene that will greet them there will be one lifted straight from a Christmas card as there will be falling snow and a huge Christmas tree.

After a traditional Christmas dinner the children will meet Santa in his grotto, receiving a sack full of carefully-matched presents – which is where the charity is hoping Knutsford Guardian readers can help.

They desperately need 1,200 selection boxes so every child goes away happy.

Selection boxes can be dropped off at CAFT’s charity shop in Knutsford or the charity’s base in Millington and will be collected until Friday, December 14, before being taken to the Adventure Farm for the children to enjoy.

Helen Crowther from the charity said: “Each year we bring the fun of Christmas into the lives of children who sadly don’t enjoy the festivities as all children should.

“We do everything in our power to ensure that they experience all of the fun and joy that Christmas can bring, and an important part of that is their visit to Santa and the sweet treats they can take home with them. We’re so grateful to the Knutsford Guardian for supporting this appeal, together we can make a huge difference.”