TikTok inspires man's Christmas calendar appeal

Thomas Cliffe started the Christmas calendar appeal for children in hospital

A man has said watching videos of people's charity work on TikTok inspired him to start an advent calendar collection for sick children this Christmas.

Thomas Cliffe, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, said he started appealing for donations after deciding he wanted to "do something special".

He ran the appeal as part of his Community Cupboard Clayton initiative, which he founded to help people in the area struggling with the cost of living crisis.

All the donated calendars were delivered to children receiving treatment at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in November.

Mr Cliffe told BBC Radio Stoke he wanted to get as many donations as possible so he appealed to local supermarkets for help and urged people to bring calendars to the community cupboard.

"I've been inspired by different things on TikTok," he said. "I know it's quite a big platform but seeing people giving all their time to these different charities made me want to do something special."

Thomas Cliffe started Community Cupboard Clayton in May

Mr Cliffe said there were some children at the hospital who did not know whether they would be able to be at home and with their families over Christmas.

"Having a calendar to wake up to in the morning during December would be magical for them," he added.

Mr Cliffe set up Community Cupboard Clayton, a community interest company, at the Nisa Local store in Newcastle-under-Lyme in May.

Donations of essential items, including non-perishable food, are stored at the back of the shop before they are delivered to people in need across the area.

Asked why he decided to set it up, Mr Cliffe said: "I've always wanted to give back to the community. It gets me up in the morning.

"I really want to make people smile and happy. It's a way of making me feel good about myself as well."