Christmas Toy Appeal needs your support

Giving Back Charity Member Helen Walton with some of the donated presents

The deadline is fast approaching for donating gifts to Rochdale Borough Council’s Christmas Toy Appeal, which helps make sure local children who are less fortunate have presents to open on Christmas Day.

All gifts need to be received by Friday 10 December, so they can be collected, sorted and delivered by volunteers to homes across the borough in time for Christmas.

If you can help, all you need to do is donate an unwrapped, new gift suitable for a child up to 16-years-old and leave it at your local library or Your Trust leisure centre. There are also extra collection points open at the Rochdale Riverside retail and leisure destination (management office on the first floor), the Crown Oil Arena and at Bamford Barista on Broadhalgh Road.

Businesses and organisations have stepped up to support the appeal, including Signals IT Ltd, Amazon Logistics (Kingsway), JGM Agency, Wilmott Dixon, PDS Doorsets, Hunter Price and Your Trust.

Council policy advisor Helen Walton, from the Giving Back charity, thanked all the kind-hearted individuals and businesses who have offered help: "We’ve had some fantastic support so far and it’s heart-warming to see how many people and businesses have come forward with gifts, money and time which means we can spread more joy to children who have had another tough year. Making sure children who may otherwise not receive anything wake up with gifts on Christmas morning is the motivation that keeps us going, but we really need support and generosity.”

It is important that gifts are received by the 10 December added Helen: “Collecting and then sorting all the toys is a big task for our small team of volunteers and then they need to be matched to the age and interests of each child individually before being delivered by social workers, family workers and schools. Please help by donating as soon as you can.”

Councillor Rachel Massey, cabinet member for children’s services and education at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It can be heartbreaking to think that many of the gifts you donate go to children who otherwise would not get anything at all, so if you can buy an extra present and donate it you really will be making a difference. All the presents we get are distributed locally so they stay in the borough.”

As Christmas often raises awareness of the excess and waste created, organisers are also asking people to consider donating a more environmentally friendly gift where you can.

You can also order a gift online and send it straight to the appeal. The address is: Giving Back - Christmas Toy Appeal, Rochdale Borough Council, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU.

The appeal is organised by the council’s ‘Giving Back’ charity in partnership with Action Together, Rochdale Football Club, Rochdale Riverside, Your Trust, Petrus and Rochdale Town Centre Management.

If your business wishes to support the appeal, then please contact the team via email.

To find out more about the appeal visit rochdale.gov.uk/ChristmasToyAppeal