The Annual Christmas Toys & Teens Appeal Continues With Support from Local Companies

The Annual Christmas Toys & Teens Appeal Continues With Support from Local Companies  
 
This year, winners of The Queen’s Award, Reading Family Aid, are asking their generous supporters from the local community to donate money on their Go Fund Me appeal.  This money will be used to buy new Christmas presents for deprived children in Reading and delivered directly to the organisations that help them. 
 
Every year schools, organisations and local companies donate toys and money to the appeal.  One of these companies, Roc Search, has been supporting the Christmas appeal for many years.  Nathan Fenton, Marketing Manager at Roc Search said “The fact that thousands of children in Reading alone wake up on Christmas morning to find that Santa’s left them nothing is heart-breaking.  It’s a reminder of how lucky we are but more importantly it serves as an opportunity for us to make a difference in these children’s lives”.
 
Wendy Howell, Vice Chair of Reading Family Aid has seen first hand the impact this Christmas appeal has on people’s lives.  She said:
 
“Some years ago, when we were packing toys, I found a card enclosed with a gift. The card read:
 
"As a child, I knew my family struggled with day-to-day living & wondered what Christmas would be like with a little money? I was so happy on Christmas morning to find presents under our small tree! Sometime later I discovered that Reading Family Aid had provided those toys. I never forgot that. So now, as an adult, I want to repay them by donating a toy to pass on to another struggling family. Keep up the good work”.
 
I remember bursting into tears when I read this message. Once I composed myself, I read the card to the other volunteers, reminding them that it was the reason why we do what we do”.
 
In 2020, the Toys and Teens Appeal delivered gifts to over 1,400 disadvantaged children in time for Christmas.  This year, please consider donating to this cause and share the below crowdfunding page on your social media.  Anything you can give, no matter how small will make a huge difference to these families at Christmas time.  Thank you. 
This year Roc Search are collecting both toys and monetary donations for the Toys and Teens appeal. Please get in touch with the charity if your company would also like to arrange a toy collection for the appeal this year.   
 
 
 
 
Alternatively, bring toys to a pop-up donation point: Saturday 20 November 11:00 - 15:00 Woodley Town Centre Precinct, Headley Road, Woodley, Reading RG5 4JZ
Saturday 27 November 11:00 - 15:00 Tesco Extra, Portman Road, Reading RG30 1AWOr donate at Lower Earley Library, Chalfont Close, Earley, Reading RG6 5HZ anytime until December 4th during opening hours 09:30 - 17:00 (19:00 on Thursdays, 16:30 on Saturdays, closed Wednesdays and Sundays).
We have had requests for more than 2,500 children.  So far, we've raised about £4,000.  There's a long way to go!


The fundraising page will remain open until 4th December, after which the funds will be used to buy presents that will be sent directly to organisations and distributed to deprived children across Reading. There will be no donation points open this year as we are sadly unable to accept any gifts to limit the spread of Covid-19.
 
To donate, please visit the Go Fund Me crowdfunding page:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Reading-Family-Aid-Toys-and-Teens-21

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