Mayor of Reading launches this year's Toys and Teens Appeal

The Mayor of Reading, Cllr. Tony Page, has leant his support to the Christmas Toys Appeal.

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 28 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. 

​Today the Mayor of Reading launched the appeal and said: “We have many families and children in the borough facing very tough times. Families are living in over crowded, damp conditions. The need for support at Christmas is acute and that’s why the Toys and Teens Appeal is so important. I would urge people to consider the scenario where you are forced to say to your child that they are not going to get any presents this year. There’s a real danger within the borough that thousands of children will go without any presents at Christmas without your support”.

A mum of three, who receives donations from the charity, explains why this appeal means so much to her; “I was married with three little girls but now my husband is in prison for attacking us. So for several years I have been a single mum with three girls, now all over 10. Even though this year I have a part time job things are still hard. The more I work, the less benefits I get and so the more my bills go up. For example my council tax - I lose benefits because I am working so I have to pay more of it. I have to pay travel expenses to get to work. And food is so expensive I can barely afford to feed and clothe us all never mind pay for any extras like my daughters wanting to go to the cinema and out with friends. 
I dread Christmas with all the pressure of what children want and what other children get. Reading Family Aid has helped me for a several years with presents for my girls. Without their help I would really struggle at Christmas. Any extra help I can get really makes a massive difference. Please donate to the Toys and Teens Appeal so that families like mine can have a nice Christmas and remove some of the stress of it all. Thank you”.
 
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.
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To support the campaign you can donate a gift to any of the drop off points, and more details on what can be donated can be found here.
Or you could organise a gift collection at work or school. Please find all the information here.
 
If you cannot donate a physical gift, the appeal also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each year.
 
Anything you give will make a child so happy this Christmas. Thank you. 

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