Every child needs and deserves a safe night's sleep, healthy food and a warm home so they can flourish - but staggering new figures show more Brummie youngsters than at any point this century are living in absolute poverty, their families unable to even guarantee life's basics.

The festive anticipation of a sackful of gifts that starts to ramp up in many homes about now will be missing in the households of the 100,500 youngsters in our city where the choice of 'heating or eating' is ever present. "We have lots of children who won't get a single present or a special lunch, who will wake up on the sofa or sleeping on the floor on December 25, whose parents are trying their best and are often in work but just can't make the money run to buying books and toys," said Emma Payne, from the charity Birmingham Playcare Network.

"What seem like essential parts of modern life - using the internet, watching TV, having somewhere private to sleep - is not the reality for thousands of teenagers. In a first world city like ours that is truly shocking."

READ MORE: Spirit of Churchill invoked in battle to 'save Birmingham's heritage' from axe

And it's getting worse. In 2015 around 80,000 children in Birmingham were living in absolute poverty households, where paying the rent, heating and buying essentials is a daily struggle. Now there are over 100,000 and rising (figures from Department of Work and Pensions, Birmingham, 2021).

In over two-thirds of those homes, parents are working - but it's still not enough. At the sharp end, more than 1,000 kids have nowhere to call home, living instead in a crowded room in a B&B, hotel or refuge, where they often share beds and have little space to play, study or dine.

"There is no privacy. Imagine sharing a bathroom with strangers, only being able to cook at set times, if there is a kitchen at all, or told off for running in the corridors, but there's nowhere else to play," said Charneze St Juste, who runs projects supporting families in temporary accommodation across the city for Barnardo's. "Many of us are oblivious to the conditions many children are living in."

That's why we are today launching #Brumwish23 - our annual festive appeal to make sure parents and carers are able to wrap up at least one special gift for their child to open on December 25. We know times are tough everywhere, but please give what you can.

Our gifts go to children of all faiths and none, whether they celebrate Christmas or they don't. Through Brumwish we look to match up the kids who have least with those who can afford to give an extra gift, with love.

For the last three years we have teamed up with our friends at the Christian faith and poverty charity Thrive Together Birmingham, the Playcare Network, the Edgbaston Foundation, and Birmingham's children's centres overseen by Birmingham Forward Steps, supported by Birmingham City Council and the city's children's trust, to deliver more than 10,000 gifts annually.

Birmingham Mail editor and Brumwish leader Graeme Brown said: "Christmas is a time of year all children should be looking forward to. For that reason, it is probably the most stark day when it comes to the tragedy that is child poverty in our part of the world.

"The truth is it won't be so exciting for those who wake up to nothing - and imagine what it is like being a parent who can't afford to make their kids' dreams come true on the big day. Through Brumwish, you can help out families like that - making Christmas better for those who really need it."

How does Brumwish work?

There are three ways you can help:

You can buy a gift online via the Brumwish wishlist - every purchase you make will be delivered to Edgbaston Stadium for our volunteer helpers to unpack and distribute to homeless centres, B&Bs, care homes, children's centres and children's charities.

You can donate cash to help our charity experts purchase specialist gifts for youngsters with additional needs or for specific requests - visit the Toys4Birmingham link here to make your donation.

Or you can buy your own extra gift, rally your neighbours or work colleagues to do the same, and drop them off at special gift days hosted at Edgbaston Stadium by our wonderful volunteers. This also gives us a chance to thank you in person for your support. The days are Friday 8 and Saturday December 9, from 11am to 3pm.

Last year generous Brummies came up trumps and made sure a whopping 12,000 kids in the city had a gift for Christmas. This year we're aiming for 15,000 - and it's needed more than ever.

Louise White, of Thrive Together Birmingham, explained: “We hope each year that we won’t have to run, because we hope families won't be in poverty. But it’s getting worse out there."

The donations have a huge impact, as Louise explained: “Parents pick a toy for their child and that is often the only toy the child receives. What a difference that makes, knowing someone has been kind enough to think of them."

The toys on our wishlist range in price from £3 to £30, from sets of colouring pencils and footballs to beauty kits and Lego.

Bishop of Aston and Acting Bishop of Birmingham Anne Hollinghurst, who is backing our campaign, said: "We know many people are going through a time at the moment but there are families in Birmingham who are in real financial crisis. The Christmas celebrations that many of us take for granted, many families will simply not experience.

“If you are having to constantly juggle paying for food and fuel, buying new toys for children will be an impossible thing. For that reason, I am asking churches to get behind this important initiative and hope that many businesses, organisations and individuals will also rise to the challenge.”

Esther Lau-Mackaay, of Edgbaston Foundation, added: “With the ever-growing cost of living crisis, more and more families are experiencing poverty and struggling to provide a warm Christmas for their children, let alone new presents.

"By joining forces with Thrive and Birmingham Playcare Network, we are committed to supporting the most vulnerable individuals and families by providing gifts to those who really need them and help spread a little joy at a time that many people take for granted. We hope the community of Birmingham will come together once again and donate new toys, crafts and books to help keep Christmas special for everyone.”

We are also making a big appeal to city businesses to consider Brumwish for their corporate giving plans this Christmas - please email jane.haynes@reachplc.com if you would like more details about how your company can get involved. Let's work together to bring some joy for little ones this festive season.

Email jane.haynes@reachplc.com if you have any queries.

Keep up to date with all the latest politics news with our politics newsletter. You can sign up for free here to get stories delivered straight to your inbox to read at a time convenient to you.

Get more stories by Jane Haynes here