Senior Conductor Caitlin Willson has reprised her seasonal role as CrossCountry‘s Chief Elf, delivering gifts to children and families across Leicestershire.

Caitlin usually looks after trains running between Leicester, Cambridge and Nottingham, and has organised Christmas donations to the Toys on the Table charity for the last five years. This year, she delivered five boxes of Christmas presents donated by her Cross Country workmates and helped by a donation of £250 from the company. Last year, CrossCountry contributed 200 presents.

Caitlin collected the new toys from Birmingham and took them on a CrossCountry train to Leicester to give to the charity, which was founded in the early 1980s, by the Leicester Round Table 39. Since then, it has become an independent registered charity run by representatives of community service organisations.

Toys on the Table works in Leicester and across the county of Leicestershire to give new toys and gifts at the holiday season for children who might otherwise not receive anything.

To donate to Toys on the Table, visit their JustGiving page.

Caitlin Willson, Senior Conductor at CrossCountry, said,  “We know it’s a difficult time of year for families and it’s wonderful to be able to pull together and give something back to the local community.

“Though this is the fifth year I’ve run this donation drive I’m always surprised and heartened by the goodwill of the railway family.”

Toys on the Table Chairman, Malcolm Clarke, said, “We’re so grateful for these donations from Caitlin on behalf of CrossCountry, which will make a huge difference to families in need across Leicester and Leicestershire.

“It’s wonderful that big organisations like CrossCountry can find time to support local charities like ours and hope to work with them again in the future.