A woman is to donate presents to sick children for the second year running after winning nearly £3,000 betting on horses.

CJ Cooper, 23, will donate toys to Chestnut Tree House near Arundel after launching her campaign in 2022 following a successful day at Cheltenham Races.

CJ, from Henfield, will also carry out a silent auction to raise money for more toys which will be donated to the hospice as well as the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton.

She said: “It is tough thinking about the children in hospices and at hospital and what they are going through, especially at Christmas when they should be celebrating it at home with their families.

“There are so many children out there that are not blessed to have good health and Christmas presents.

“By doing something like this it helps the parents that don’t have the time or the money to go and buy the presents as they are looking after their children. This is a way of trying to give them all a bit of joy at Christmas.”

CJ first set up the appeal after winning £3,400 at a Cheltenham race meet in November, 2022. Not knowing what to spend the money on, she used her winnings to buy presents for children.

After advertising her campaign on social media she has now been sent many presents to donate by members of the public.

CJ has also been given prizes from the horse racing community to be used in the silent auction.

Prizes include tickets for a Cheltenham meet in January as well as prints of race winners and jockeys' caps and silks.

CJ added: “It is good that it has started a month early and we are already filling one of the bedroom up in my house with toys.

The Argus: Some of the prizes donated for the silent auctionSome of the prizes donated for the silent auction (Image: The Jockey Club)

“The racing community online have been absolutely fantastic as ever and once again they have already excelled themselves in getting behind this for those less fortunate.”

Those wishing to donate presents can do so on CJ’s Amazon wish list and can access the silent auction on CJ’s twitter at @CJRacingUK.