Give a Christmas gift – annual toy appeal asks for your help

Giving Back Charity Members Helen Walton (left) and Caroline Wolfenden helping sort the gifts last year, when over 2,300 were donated and delivered locally

Rochdale Borough Council will very soon be seeking donations to this year’s Christmas Toy Appeal, which helps make sure local children living in poverty have presents to open on 25 December.

The annual appeal organised by the council’s staff-run ‘Giving Back’ charity will be collecting donations from Wednesday 14 November.

They ask residents and staff to buy one extra present – a new, unwrapped gift suitable for a child between 0-16 years-old and simply leave it at a local library by Friday 14 December.

Council staff, who distributed a record 2,300 toys last year, will then make sure they reach the borough’s less fortunate children in time for Christmas Day.

Council lawyer Helen Walton, from the Giving Back charity, said: "For many households Christmas is a time of real pressure and hardship, so our appeal aims to make sure that no child in the borough misses out. 

"Thankfully, over the four years that we have been running this appeal our residents, staff and businesses have really got behind it, and once again we will have the support of Rochdale Herald’s national Satire Aid appeal too. We will ensure all your gifts go to very worthwhile homes in the borough and those that receive them get a lot of joy during what may otherwise have been a very meagre Christmas.”

Toys can be dropped off from Wednesday 14 November until Friday 14 December at collection points at every library in the borough. Gifts for 0-16 year-olds are all welcome, but especially presents for teenagers that were low in number last year.

For details and opening times of your nearest drop off point visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/libraries