Reading Family Aid’s Toys & Teens appeal is coming to a close! This weekend hundreds of volunteers will gather to pack bags of gifts for disadvantaged children in Reading. But there is still time to donate a gift to any of the donation points in and before 2nd December. Any gifts will be given to children on Christmas day, who otherwise won’t receive anything this year.
 
This year 92 organisations have asked for presents this year for 2401 children, all of whom will go without any presents without the support of the toy appeal.
 
Laura Windisch, Head of the Toy Project, said “Many people, when they think of buying a child a present at Christmas have in mind a young child, perhaps 4 or 7 years old. But his year, almost half the children we will be supporting are aged between 10 to 16. So gifts for those slightly older children – books, games, make up, sports equipment, arts and craft materials, vouchers, electronic items such as earphones – will be especially welcome if you are thinking of making a last minute donation to the Toys and Teens Appeal. Please if you can spare a gift, or you would rather donate to our Go Fund Me, anything you give no matter how small, will make a child’s Christmas so special. Thank you”.

The charity would also like to thank its kind supporters, who give to the appeal year after year, its donation points who tirelessly accept and organise gifts, as well as its sponsors: The Reading Chronicle, Caversham Vehicle Hire, Big Yellow Storage and The Masons.
 
The appeal is collecting donated new and nearly new toys from 34 donation drop off points up until 2nd December. The charity is also raising funds through a Go Fund Me online to buy gifts for children to open on Christmas day. Please if you would like to donate do so as soon as you can!
 
To support the campaign you can donate a gift to the drop off points here.  More details on what can be donated can be found here.
​
If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each year.
 
Thank you ​

We are sorry to say that Vera Box has sadly passed away. 
Vera got involved in Reading Family Aid back in the 1970s at Katesgrove House and stayed as an active member until the last few years, even after her 90th birthday!
She was the heart and soul of the charity and believed passionately in the importance of the work that we do. It was Vera that was the driving force behind getting us registered as an official charity with the Charity Commission in 1993.

Wendy Howell, Chair of Reading Family Aid said "Vera was like a mother to us all when we joined the committee. Very welcoming. She always had a smile.  She delighted in organising the Earley Green Fair as she had "connections" and always got us a good spot! I fondly remember her 90th birthday in my garden.

Ruth Perkins, Fundraising Manager said "Vera was the one that persuaded me to join the charity more than 20 years ago. She had a way of smiling at you that meant you had no choice but to go along with what she wanted! She was determined to get things done and was a firm believer in the idea that you had to keep busy otherwise you would decline. She certainly kept going, working not only with Reading Family Aid, but also with other groups and campaigns in her local area until she was into her 90's. We have missed her smiling face and can do attitude these last few years."

Her funeral service is at Easthampstead Park Crematorium on Tuesday 5th December 2023 at 11:30am.
Vera's family are inviting people to make a donation in Vera's memory to Reading Family Aid at https://verabox.muchloved.com/​

Reading Family Aid’s Toys & Teens appeal is back for another year, sponsored by The Chronicle. This year the appeal is accepting new and nearly new toys at 34 donation points across Reading and the surrounding areas. These toys and gifts will be distributed to disadvantaged children in Reading and the surrounding area, ready to be opened on Christmas day. 

The appeal could not happen without the support of countless local companies, whose staff go out of their way to help disadvantaged children enjoy Christmas. One such company is Roc Search, who have been supporting the appeal for an incredible seven years! Trevor Doran, Chief Growth Officer said:
 “Our partnership with Reading Family Aid over the last 7 years is something we are all incredibly proud of here at Roc Search – which is why we are once again supporting their efforts this year. Witnessing the profound impact their Toys & Teens Appeal has on countless disadvantaged children and families in the local community is truly inspiring. By supporting them in their efforts to collect these toys and donations, we are helping to create cherished Christmas memories for those in need. It’s an honour to be a part of. As a business we’ve been able to collect thousands of toys over the years thanks to the generosity of our employees, clients and friends. We encourage as many people as possible to get involved and help make this holiday season brighter for all!”​

During October half term (24th and 25th October), we organised an outing to Chessington and Thorpe Park for two groups of young people.

Here are some of the thank-you's we received from this trip:

​Reading Family Aid’s Toys & Teens appeal is back for another year, sponsored by The Chronicle. This year the appeal is accepting new and nearly new toys at 33 donation points across Reading and the surrounding areas. These toys and gifts will be distributed to disadvantaged children in Reading and the surrounding area, ready to be opened on Christmas day. 
 
One recipient tells of the difference the charity made to her Christmas in 2021.

On 15th December, a day when Laura, a Grandmother, should have been celebrating her birthday, instead she found herself in hospital fighting for her life. All of Reading woke to the horrific news - a major fire had erupted in the flats in Rowe Court (Tilehurst). Laura who lived on the top floor had to escape the burning building in the middle of the night by jumping out of her living room window.  
 
Laura said “I saw smoke around me and everything went dark, it was then I thought what am I going to do? I didn’t have long to get out of the window. There were flames coming out of the communal window, and I knew I couldn’t escape that way. I decided, and jumped out of the sitting room window. I landed hard on grass and mud. I managed with the last breath in my body to call out to ask people to help me”.
 
Laura was rushed to ICU in a critical condition with suspected broken Pelvis, hip, Collar bone, severe back injuries and potential internal damage. Laura has 17 Grandchildren and one great grandchild and even though everybody was happy that Laura was recovering she herself felt extremely down. The fire had destroyed all of her possessions along with all her presents carefully wrapped to give to her family on Christmas day. Reading Family Aid heard of her situation and came to the rescue.
 
“The charity gave me presents to give to my grandchildren at Christmas, I couldn’t believe it. To know there’s some goodness in the world after what happened, I was in a dark place and I was so grateful for their help. To not have to worry meant everything to me. I can’t pay them back but I want to spread the word. It breaks my heart that there are children who won’t receive presents without the charity”.
 
The Toys and Teens Appeal 2023 will be collecting donated new and nearly new toys from donation drop off points, as well as using funds from the Go Fund Me online to buy gifts for disadvantaged children to open on Christmas day. 
 
To support the campaign you can donate a gift to the drop off points here. More details on what can be donated can be found here.

If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each yea.
 
Thank you 

Reading Family Aid’s Toys & Teens appeal is back for another year, sponsored by The Chronicle. This year the appeal is accepting new and nearly new toys at over 30 donation points across Reading and the surrounding areas. These toys and gifts will be distributed to disadvantaged children in Reading and the surrounding area, ready to be opened on Christmas day.  

We spoke to Clare Deakin-Smith, the Club Experience Manager at The Club at Mapledurham, about why they have chosen to support Reading Family Aid’s Toys and Teens Appeal for 2023.
 
“We’re a very family-oriented club. Children are a very important aspect to the whole club, including the restaurant, the swimming pool, and the outside areas. And there’s nothing nicer than a happy child! I’ve got four, they’ve all grown up and left home, but I know what it’s like to have happy children.”
 
“I have always instilled in all my children that you have to look at people that aren’t as fortunate. And to be able to support that here, and just get everybody to open their eyes and their minds a little bit and go, ‘let’s help’. And it doesn’t take a lot as well. Because nobody’s asking for big boxes of £50 Lego or anything. It’s just things that young people will take a huge amount of pleasure in opening – everyone loves to open presents.”
 
“I think as much help as anybody can help, with just giving little things at Christmas, it makes a huge difference just to put a smile on a child’s face, or a young adult’s face as well. Very important, because it is formative memories that they will carry through.”
 
“It’s just about making people feel good about themselves, and just doing a little something, for a little person. And whether that person is 16 or 5, anything that we can do to help, or anything that other businesses can do to help, by contacting the people that use their business, it’s perfect.”
 
If you’re a member, or live near to The Club at Mapledurham, do stop by and leave your donation on the table at reception.
 
Each Christmas, the Toys and Teens Appeal helps ensure that children who would not otherwise receive a single present, have something to open on Christmas morning. Last year, over 3,000 children received a gift at Christmas, through the generous donations of supporters.
To support the campaign you can donate a gift to the drop off points here. More details on what can be donated can be found here.
 
If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each year.

​Thank you

​Ruth Perkins, a volunteer at Reading Family Aid said, “This sadly isn’t a scenario
we’ve asked readers to imagine. It’s a reality for many, many families living right
here, in Reading in 2023. I visited such a family to deliver toys and was welcomed
into the tiny flat. The floors were concrete. There were no curtains. There was no
furniture. No fridge. No washing machine. The little boy had no toys at all - he was
just playing with a cardboard box. The Mum wasn't expecting me. She was
overwhelmed when I showed her the sack of toys I had brought and burst into tears.
I wished I could have given her more. These people are living in desperate
conditions. The last thing they should have to worry about is how they can afford a
present for their child this Christmas”.

​The Toys and Teens Appeal 2023 will be collecting donated new and nearly new toys from donation drop off points, as well as using funds from the Go Fund Me online to buy gifts for children to open on Christmas day.

To support the campaign you can donate a gift to the drop off points. More details on what can be donated can be found here.
If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each year.
Thank you