A CHARITY in Reading is launching a Summer Toy Project to help put smiles on children's faces during the coronavirus pandemic and your help is needed to make it happen.

Reading Family Aid's mission is to "put a smile on the faces of disadvantaged children in the Reading area" and it is hoping to do just this during lockdown.

The charity aims to help children living with poverty and other disadvantages and each Christmas it distributes toys to children as part of its Toys and Teens Appeal.

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It also provides outings throughout the year for children and their families who couldn't afford to go otherwise.

Vivienne Simpson the charity's Outings Coordinator explained all of the activities scheduled for this summer have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

This includes a day trip to Bournemouth and an outing to Odds Farm.

She added it's also uncertain whether the pantomime will go ahead later in the year.

Ms Simpson said the charity was thinking about how to continue to make children smile during the pandemic and came up with the idea of a Summer Toy Project.

The first phase of the project saw the charity ask five of its partner organisations - including the Weller Centre, Home-Start, First Days, Alana House and Alafia - to make a list of the toys the children they support would like.

The charity then bought many of these toys and delivered them to the children using the money they would have spent on the yearly outings.

However, Ms Simpson explained the charity has "limited funds" and needs the communities help with the second phase.

The charity is asking the organisations to make another list of toys for the children and is asking supporters to buy them from its Amazon wish list as a gift.

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Each item will be less than £30 and will be delivered to disadvantaged families in the community.

The project is being launched on July 13 and will run until August 31.

Ms Simpson explained it is a "very difficult and very worrying time for families".

She said: "We are just doing the best we can to get them through the summer months."

For more information visit Reading Family Aid's website here.