Toy Appeal gets underway with generous donations

Oct 27 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

DONATIONS for our annual Christmas Toy Appeal for underprivileged children have already started to arrive – but lots more are still needed!

The Advertiser’s popular appeal was launched two weeks ago and kindhearted readers have already handed in a variety of toys, including dolls, cars, board games, books and puzzles.

But we still need lots more donations of toys – that are new or in a good condition – to help make this Christmas extra-special for needy youngsters throughout Hamilton and surrounding areas.

Gifts are required for children of all age groups, and firms and shops can even help by providing any leftover stock such as make-up, DVDs, gadgets or CDs.

Every year we receive unlimited support from our friends at the Larkhall and District Volunteer Group, who kindly gift wrap every item all ready for delivery come Christmas time.

The toys are then passed to the wonderful staff at the Hamilton Furniture Initiative who hand deliver all the items in time for Christmas Eve.

And, of course, we wouldn’t be able to distribute the toys to the youngsters without the help of those at South Lanarkshire Council’s social work department who provide invaluable help by providing the names of the children who will receive the gifts at such a special time of year.

Previous appeals have benefited more than 600 county children with gifts from toys, gift vouchers and treats galore, all gifted by generous Advertiser readers.

And this year we aim to top that altogether. All donations, however large or small, will be warmly welcomed.

If you would like to help the appeal, you can hand in your toy donation to the Advertiser Office, Press Buildings, Campbell Street, Hamilton.

The office is open on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.

We also need wrapping paper and AAA and AA batteries for toys.

Those in the Larkhall area can hand toys in directly to the Volunteer Group at their Raploch Street premises.