BIG W is set to give back this Christmas with its charity event, the BIG Wrapathon, involving celebrity and community volunteers, alongside BIG W team members.
The nationwide event will take place on Saturday 7 December, with volunteers wrapping gifts at the front of stores from 10 am – 4 pm.
Tennis star Lleyton Hewitt, children’s entertainers DJ Lenny Pearce and Emma “Memma” Watkins will be amongst the celebrity and community ambassadors lending a hand and helping Aussie families with their Christmas gift wrapping needs while supporting programs for seriously ill children.
Volunteers will aim to break the Guinness World Record in BIG W Pagewood for the ‘Fastest Time to Gift-wrap a Box’, currently held at 30 seconds.
Christmas is a celebratory time for most families, but many families will be spending the festive season and beyond in hospital care. The event celebrates the launch of BIG W’s charity wrapping paper, a new range of festive gift wrap designed with children who have been supported by BIG W’s national hospital network. The colourful wrap features the children’s heartfelt artwork and customers can purchase in store and online for $5, with all proceeds going back to families across the country.
In addition to its fundraising efforts, BIG W is matching donations up to $100,000 for its hospital partners, further supporting programs that bring care and joy to sick kids and their families this Christmas.
“Through our long-standing hospital network partners, BIG W makes a real difference for Australian families. The BIG Wrapathon is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only will customers save some time getting their gifts wrapped by local celebrities in a fun community event, but their gold coin donation directly supports Aussie children and families,” Dan Hake, BIG W managing director, said.
“As a father of three, it’s an honour to join BIG W in supporting such an impactful cause. Christmas is a time for spending with family and loved ones, but many Aussie families will be spending this time in the hospital or undergoing treatment. I can only imagine what Aussie parents with sick children go through, so I encourage Aussies to get involved by simply getting gifts wrapped or purchasing some charity wrap. I’m looking forward to putting my speed skills to the test, as I’ll be participating in the Guinness World Record attempt,” Lleyton Hewitt added.
“Having an existing relationship with Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation, and being a father myself, it was easy for me to jump on board supporting the BIG Wrapathon. I’m not a rapper, but I can be a wrapper for a day! It would be great to have as many Aussie families down to the stores to get their gifts wrapped, and for those in Pagewood, come and join our Wrap n Rave! I’ll be performing a DJ set while we wrap gifts and try to break a world record,” DJ Lenny Pearce said.
Kids have designed $2 fundraising tokens supported by the Children’s Hospital Network. They will be sold in stores from Monday 4 November and run through to 24 December.
Proceeds from the sale of the Wrap, Tokens and the Wrapathon donations will go towards Children’s Hospitals and research partners around the country.
“For over 21 years, BIG W has supported the Children’s Hospital Foundation here in Queensland, raising over $5 million and we’re thrilled to continue this legacy through the 2024 BIG W Community Christmas Appeal,” Jo Donaldson from the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation, said.
“Christmas is a time for joy and family, but for many children at Queensland Children’s Hospital, it’s also a time spent facing serious health challenges far from home. Each year, the Queensland Children’s Hospital treats over 110,000 children, with one in two coming from regional or remote parts of Queensland and the Children’s Hospital Foundation is there for each and every one of them.”BIG W is making a difference this festive season, and we’re so grateful for their, and their customers’ support, which helps provide essential care and experiences for children from across Queensland via the funds raised for the Children’s Hospital Foundation this Christmas”.
