West Berkshire Xmas Toy Appeal
This local appeal, run by Swift Couriers, Newbury Sound, Apple Print and Newbury Weekly News in conjunction with West Berkshire Council Children's Services, is now in it's sixth year.
It aims to ensure that no child or young person in West Berkshire goes without at least one really nice gift at Xmas.
We cannot do it without the help of the public and local businesses - so read on.
Six years ago Swift Couriers launched a campaign to raise awareness of children flagged by W. Berkshire Social Services as from deprived or financially challenged backgrounds during the Christmas Period; children who , because of the issues and challenges faced by their circumstances, were not facing a very Merry Christmas - children who, in many cases, were not going to have a Christmas at all.
These are children of this area who, sadly, have fallen "between the cracks" of Social Services; and for whom no provisions - financial or otherwise - have been made. This is not a case of our efforts saving local government money; these kids are not even "on the radar" or a budget!
From a very small beginning this campaign has gained great momentum supported by the generosity of the people living and working in this area. We now enjoy the support of many local companies with this project:- Newbury Weekly News & Newbury Sound - Promoting the campaign, Apple Print - Supplying Promotional posters and flyers, and Numerous shops and businesses - Providing Drop-off Points from which Swift can collect the gifts.
It's been a tough year across West Berkshire for us all - but for some people who are already really struggling - it has been even harder.
Whilst some of us are gasping at the amount we are spending, or the amount our kids hope we are going to stretch to, there are families on very low incomes, in debt, homeless, awaiting benefit determination, or living in a Refuge, who will find it very hard indeed this year to give their children any toys at all.
And there are teenagers unable to live at home, and young people who do not have parents or family here in the UK - living in hostels, bed-sits, rooms, or even homeless, who will also have a pretty grim festive season unless we all rally round.
What do we need - some basic rules
We need toys, games and gifts suitable for boys and girls from newborn right up to 19+ (don't forget the teenagers!)
New toys - second hand things are not suitable for this appeal
We also need the gifts to be UN-WRAPPED - this is so people can select what is appropriate for the children and young people they are choosing for.
Look out for "buy one get one free" and "three for two" offers - especially on toiletries!
Specific ideas?
Basically if you buy something that one of your children would like to have - they you can't go wrong!
- Educational toys and craft kits, crayons/pens etc
- Board games and jigsaws
- Current books and annuals
- Soft toys
- Items suitable for a baby - a pretty babygro etc
- Attractive clothing for children
- Any popular current toys currently in demand - both for boys or girls
- Suitable DVD's or CD's that are currently in demand
- We really seem to struggle sometimes for gifts for boys, especially older boys, and boys in their late teens. T shirts and toiletries are really great.
- Sports stuff
- Vouchers for £10 - for HMV, WH Smiths or Bodyshop for example - go for outlets where your children can buy at reasonable prices
What about doing a work place collection to boost the appeal?
Talk with your colleagues or management at work. Here are some ideas:
- One business ties pretty Xmas tags onto their office Xmas Tree when they set it up - each label gives the age and sex of a child - labels ranging from 0 - 18 years. Staff select a tag, buy for that child description, and place the gift under the tree - in a gift bag to make it look festive as we would prefer not to have gifts wrapped (as we have to then unwrap them!)
- Another has a notice board decorated festively - and staff stick up a message of Xmas greetings for all their colleagues, instead of sending Xmas cards to everyone, and put a donation in the box (it's much cheaper than buying lots of cards and benefits others and the environment!)
- Another has a dress up day - when folk can wear something festive to work on a particular day - and put a donation in a collecting box for the privilege.
- Instead of Secret Santa - where everyone draws a slip to buy a gift for one person in the office - agree to buy for a needy child instead - and do a draw so everyone gets a slip telling them what age and sex to buy for.
Be creative and use this as an opportunity to get into the festive mode and help others less fortunate than you and your family!
If your office or work place decides to do a collection- we do need the donation to be in gift vouchers please - as we do not have the facility to manage cash. Call Swift Couriers on 01635 571773 to arrange collection.
Gift vouchers give us flexibility if we are short of gifts for a particular age range for example.
Where to drop off your toys:
Drop off points will be advertised on posters throughout the district, and also on Newbury Sound, the Newbury Weekly News, and on the website www.newburysound.co.uk. These include:
Newbury Sound offices in Hambridge Lane
Apple Print offices in Faraday Road
Swift offices in Hambridge Lane
Council offices in Market Street, Newbury
Co-op Thatcham Broadway - tbc
Tesco Stores in Pinchington Lane and A4, Newbury, and Hungerford - tbc
Sainsbury's - Newbury - tbc
Camp Hopson department store - tbc
Budgens - Wash Common - tbc
Parkway Sales office in Northbrook Street, Newbury - tbc
Newbury Building Society - Newbury, Thatcham and Hungerford offices - tbc
Newbury College - tbc
Newbury Hungerford and Theale Libraries - tbc
Hungerford Leisure Centre - tbc
We are short of easily accessible drop-off points in places like Lambourne, Kintbury, Mortimer area, and Chievely area, and would welcome additional drop-off points if your business is prepared to assist. Ring Newbury Sound to offer your assistance.
Swift couriers will come and relieve you of your mounting pile of gifts as regularly as you need - so don't worry too much about space! If you can provide somewhere that is visible - it does encourage the public to give something.
What happens to the toys and gifts?
These are collected up regularly throughout the appeal by Swift Couriers, and are delivered to a distribution point in Newbury. Families come here in the last two weeks before Xmas to exchange a voucher of eligibility issued to them in advance, for a toy or toys for their children. The exchange centre is staffed completely by volunteers.
Is this really needed?
In West Berkshire there is still poverty, and children and young people who live a very different life to those who live in affluent families, or families where parents are in work. The difficulties are often hidden and not visible to you and I. There will be families on low incomes, in debt, single parent families, young people living alone, the homeless, those who have had to leave home suddenly to keep safe, domestic crisis, fire, sickness........ there are many reasons why a family cannot provide at this festive time, or needs your help to make Xmas a happy time for their children and teenagers. Some of these children may be children that your child goes to school with.
Key dates and details
21st November - 1230 - Launch of the appeal - various local dignitaries will make the first donations to start the ball rolling - venue is outside Broadway House, by the clocktower in Newbury. PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
12th December - midafternoon - exact time to be confirmed on the day - delivery of the first collection of donated toys - and the distribution centre starts setting up. PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
13th November is a setting up day and time to train staff etc.
14th December - 10 am - centre will open - parents/carers issued with a voucher will start coming to select toys (this is not an opportunity for photographing or reporting to respect these families.)
There will be dates/times throughout the next 9 days when additional deliveries may be made.
22rd December - very last delivery of any donations
23rd December - last day of opening - the distribution centre closes at 5 and any left over toys will be distributed to organisations that continue to deal with families in crisis over the Xmas break.
Some thanks to our partners
As well as the partners listed at the top of the page, we also want to express thanks to those who made it possible this year for us to enable families to come and select their toys. Thankyou to {insert name} of Greenham Common Trust, who provided us free of charge with a suite of rooms at Broadway House for the distribution of the toys, and to Garry Poulson of West Berkshire volunteer Centre, and of course to all the volunteers who came forward to staff the distribution centre.
A great big thank you to everyone for your help and support!