Spread some festive cheer with our Toy Appeal

Nov 24 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

MEMBERS of the public looking to spread a little Christmas cheer this year, need look no further than the Hamilton Advertiser’s annual toy appeal.

And it’s as easy as A, B,C if you wish to back our appeal. All you need to do is donate a new or nearly new toy or toys for underprivileged children in the Hamilton area.

Due to personal circumstances, many children often find themselves facing a bleak Christmas, but this appeal gives those youngsters the chance to wake up on December 25 with some wonderful presents that parents or guardians are often unable to provide.

We always receive unlimited support from our readers and businesses and already this year we have received some fantastic donations. This week the fantastic Pro-Am Cycle shop, of Wellgate Street, Larkhall, donated a brand new bike suitable for an eight -year-old girl. Huge thank you to them.

Toys are required for children of all age groups and firms and shops can help by providing any left-over stock they may have. Every little helps, and we’ll gladly take any donations off your hands, such as hair bobbles, make-up kits, colouring-in books and crayons, dolls, toy cars, cuddly teddies and more.

Cash donations or gift vouchers are also warmly welcomed.

The gifts will then be passed to our friends at the Larkhall and District Volunteer Group, who will kindly gift wrap every single item so the children can enjoy tearing open their presents come Christmas Day.

The toys will then be handed to the staff at the Hamilton Furniture Initiative who will guarantee they are hand-delivered to underprivileged children, the names of whom are given to us by South Lanarkshire Council social work department, in time for Christmas Eve.

It really is so easy to help put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas – all you have to do is back our appeal and pop in with a gift. All donations no matter how big or small are warmly welcomed.

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.