Toy Appeal reaches 5,000 children in poverty
- Dec 24, 2022
- 3 min read
More than 5,000 children in poverty in North and East London will have a special gift to open this Christmas thanks to the kindness of strangers.
Despite the cost-of-living crisis and inflation driving up the cost of toys, the Winter Toy Appeal, had a fantastic response, with hundreds of people donating.
Organised by the Local Buyers Club in partnership with Location Location estate agency and the Hackney Children and Baby Bank, the appeal is in its ninth year and distributes new toys to children experiencing extreme hardship.
They’re given out by social workers, councils, children’s centres, schools, food banks and more. This year the appeal reached children in Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, Islington and Barnet.
Appeal founder Jenna Fansa, of the Local Buyers Club, said: “The toy appeal wouldn’t be possible without people’s incredible kindness. This year was particularly tough – so many people are feeling the pinch and we are incredibly grateful that they still donated so generously.
“For many of the children we reach, this is the only toy they’ll receive at Christmas. Lots of them don’t have any toys at home. Many families are unable to afford the basics like food and heating and I hope that through the Winter Toy Appeal they feel the love of their community.”
Hundreds of toys were donated under the Christmas trees at Better leisure centres and staff at St Ann’s Hospital in Haringey held a collection and went shopping for gifts. The Department for International Trade and UK Export Finance were also big supporters this year alongside Alexander McQueen, Clarasys, Rolex, Unpitchd and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
A huge donation from the LEGO Group of 1,000 sets was a big boost early on.
Jenna added: “This year’s appeal has been an absolute joy to work on – with amazing support shopping, storing and distributing toys from the team at Location Location and from the Hackney Children and Baby Bank.
This year’s Winter Toy Appeal generated more than £30,000 of trade for London’s independent shops; including Stoke Newington Toys and Books, Soup Dragon in Crouch End, The Toybox in Victoria Park, Know and Love in Stoke Newington and Dek’s in Enfield.
Money was also raised through the sale of a charity Christmas card, designed by local artist StokeySketcher.
More than 900 toys were given to Haringey Council Social Services, more than 800 went to Hackney Council's Temporary Accommodation Team, 1,000 toys were distributed via Tower Hamlet's Tackling Poverty Team, 575 were distributed by Hackney Foodbank, over 600 by Hackney Children and Baby Bank. Other recipients included children's centres, schools and food banks in Islington, Hackney and Haringey.
Since its launch nine years ago, the Winter Toy Appeal has provided more than 34,000 main Christmas presents for children in extreme poverty.
Love local London? Join the Club!
We're on a mission to help people discover & support the best independent businesses. The Local Buyers Club is more than just a discount card - we're London's shop-local club. We also organise community initiatives like the Winter Toy Appeal and set up www.myvirtualneighbourhood.com
But we can only do it with the support of our wonderful members.
JOIN NOW - use code LOCALHALF for 50% off your first year (just £7.49)
Our members are rewarded for choosing local with savings or perks at hundreds of awesome restaurants, shops, bars and small businesses throughout London. We help spread the word about them and raise awareness of the advantages of shopping locally.
Join the Local Buyers Club and, for just £14.99 per year, you'll be helping to support local business.
Find out how it works and JOIN THE CLUB
If you're a great independent business in London and would like to find out more about joining the Club and being featured on our site please click here.
This piece did a good job of keeping the tone friendly, and the result felt neat and approachable. It gave a fresh feel and stayed useful.
super33 daftar
I discovered eggy car online through a forum recommendation. It's a good choice when you only have a few minutes and want a quick gameplay session.
I appreciated how the message stayed neat, which gave the post a clear sense of direction. It had a good balance while keeping things clear. Yamaha 25hp Outboard for sale
Thanks for sharing this information about the University of Georgia Tbilisi. It's helpful to have a clear overview when comparing universities. Understanding aspects like academics, campus life, and admission requirements can make the decision process much easier.
What I liked most was how easy it was to move around the interface. The layout feels neat, and I didn't have to search too much to find what I needed. That kind of simplicity makes a big difference, especially when you want a smooth and stress-free experience
1 lottery register