Toy Appeal receives bumper boost

Dec 1 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

THE Advertiser’s annual Toy Appeal received a huge boost this week thanks to a bumper £500 donation from Lanarkshire firm Carpet Ways.

Owner of the firm Phil Kelly was only to happy to help our appeal, for disadvantaged children in Hamilton and the surrounding areas, and reached for the cheque book.

Carpet Ways’ kind donation will now be used to buy even more toys and gifts for those youngsters, who due to personal circumstances no fault of their own, would 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.

Carpet Ways, who have shops in Hamilton, Motherwell and Falkirk, are keen to support their local communities and marketing manager for the firm Lynn Sutherland said: “We as a firm just like to give back a little to our local community and in particular those who need a little help.

“Our business has always been supported by the people of Hamilton and surrounding areas and we are extremely grateful for that, so we were keen to support the Advertiser’s Toy Appeal and benefit others.”

Members of the public looking to spread a little Christmas cheer can also help by donating new or nearly-new toys.

Toys are required for children of all age groups and firms and shops can even help by providing any leftover stock they may have. Every little helps, and we’ll gladly take any donations off your hands. Cash donations or gift vouchers are also warmly welcomed.

Items donated or purchased will then be passed to our good friends at the Larkhall and District Volunteer Group, who gift wrap every single one so the children can enjoy tearing open their presents come Christmas Day.

The toys from our appeal are handed to the staff at the Hamilton Furniture Initiative who will guarantee they are hand-delivered to underprivileged children, the names of which 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.