TOY APPEAL: Every child deserves a gift at Christmas

Riverside Takeaway in Maiden Newton has generously donated £100 to help make sure every child has a present to open on Christmas Day.

Owner Tim Pitfield said this was the first year he had donated.

This year marks the 16th annual Toy Appeal and the Echo is hoping for another record-breaking year.

Last year £4,700 was raised, which meant hundreds of needy children across Dorset had a toy to open on Christmas morning.

This year the Echo is hoping to at least match this amount and is encouraging shoppers and businesses to give what they can.

Tim said: “We haven’t actually donated before, but I saw Frampton Garage with their donation in the paper and I know them all very well so I thought if they can do it then so can I.

“It such a good cause. I don’t like the thought of any child not getting a present on Christmas Day. Every child deserves something at Christmas.”

Across Dorset, more than 30 stores and businesses have pulled together to support this year’s Christmas Toy Appeal and have either collection bins or pots in their premises.

Shoppers are being encouraged to drop a present in an appeal bin while out Christmas shopping in the coming weeks. All the toys collected will be distributed before Christmas to children who really appreciate them.

All donations will be gratefully received; from dolls and rattles to board games and LEGO® to gift vouchers and craft items. We are looking for 30 businesses to donate £100 each, and every business that does so will be featured in the Echo.

This has been amazingly successful in previous years and the main way that the toy appeal has been able to provide so many toys and gifts to needy children.

Each donation is gratefully received and all those donating £100 will be featured in the Echo.

To donate £100 call Debbie Hellaby on 01305 830815 or email debbie.hellaby@dorsetecho.co.uk
For more details on the Toy Appeal, visit dorsetecho.co.uk/Christmas/toy_appeal.