Lockdown success for Rotherham Christmas Toy Appeal

And this is your last chance to donate at the Advertiser’s office and enter our prize draw to be in with a chance of winning £100 of Parkgate Shopping vouchers, a digital radio from RB1 or a signed RUFC shirt.

Toys of all shapes and sizes have been handed over to the “elves” at charity Families First, which organises the annual campaign, ready to be matched with suitable children.

The appeal aims to ensure that no Rotherham child wakes up on December 25 without a toy to unwrap and handed out 1,600 gifts last Christmas.

Organiser Ann Levick said: “It’s been brilliant. We can’t believe how well it’s gone. People have just kept giving and giving.

“We’re now at the stage where we are organising the right gift for the right children.

“We have a sheet that says the child’s age, boy or girl, and any identified gift that they’ve said they want.

“Then we go ‘shopping’ around the toys that have been donated. We always put a cuddly toy and a stocking filler in so they’ve got a nice bag with their name on.

“It’s lovely to find just the right toys for children and know they’ll be happy on Christmas morning. It makes life easier for us.

“The idea is that the workers take the presents to the parents, who wrap them and give them to the children.”

Parkgate Shopping centre manager Janet Drury said: “Those who have been able to really have dug in to support the appeal and we’ve had fantastic support from local businesses.

“Morrisons and Wilko have given wrapping paper, bows and Christmas bags so we can provide those to parents too.”

Primark donated 30 Monopoly games, while Turner Hire & Sales provided lighting for the toy storage room, and Christ Church at Stocksbridge added £200 in cash to the congregation’s haul of toys.

The toys most needed at present are those suitable for boys aged 13 and up.

Anyone wishing to support the appeal but unable to buy and hand over toys can visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rotherhamtoyappeal2020 to send money and leave the gift-buying to the “elves”.

Entry to the prize draw closes on December 18.