

Auction of rainbow bins to brighten children’s Christmas
Stoke Newington’s most photographed bins* are being auctioned to raise funds for the Winter Toy Appeal.
Owned by interior designer Anna Shepherd, these rainbow bins are constantly catching the eye of passers by on Kynaston Road and people often ask if they can buy them. Anna said: “The bins have really brightened up the street and they get a lot of attention. Now it’s time for them to brighten up someone else’s garden and, if we can raise some money to buy new gifts for chil


Best friends make Christmas happen for hundreds of children
A social worker who has seen first hand the impact poverty has on children has teamed up with a friend to support this year’s Winter Toy Appeal.
Best friends Cat Taylor, 31, and Jenna Nicholson, 31, from North London, have raised over £3,000 to buy new toys for children in the capital who are experiencing poverty.
Cat, who works for adoption services, used to work in child protection in Hackney. She said: “Having a special toy for Christmas means everything - if you’re not


Please get behind the Winter Toy Appeal!
“Let’s end this devastating year with a little Christmas magic.” That’s the plea from the organisers of The Winter Toy Appeal, as they urge people to buy new toys for local children in poverty. Last year’s Winter Toy Appeal reached 4,000 children in Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Haringey. It’s run by The Local Buyers Club and toys are distributed via a network of social workers, schools, children's centres, food banks, hostels and refuges to children in most need. Or

Halloween event collects phenomenal amount of food
Organisers of a Halloween Trick or Eat collection for Hackney Foodbank have been moved to tears after supporters donated enough food to fill three small lorries. Locals donated 5,347 kilos of food to Trick or Eat - the equivalent to 12,732 meals. Melanie Rochford, of Hackney Foodbank described the moment she saw how much food had been collected as: "spine-tingling." The initiative, organised by The Local Buyers Club, a perks card promoting independent shops and restaurants, s

Local children get sporty for Winter Toy Appeal
Children in Hackney are being urged to take part in a sponsored event to raise funds for the Winter Toy Appeal. The event, which has been organised by eight-year-old Ben Boyt from Stoke Newington, takes place at 2pm on Sunday November 15 and children are invited to do whatever activity they like while wearing a Christmas jumper – from running to scooting, bouncing on a trampoline, cycling or skipping. Money raised will buy toys for children experiencing extreme poverty this C