'IT IS about putting a smile on a child or young adults face at Christmas'.
Many children this season face the prospect of not have a single present to open on Christmas morning.
But Reading Family Aid's annual Toys & Teens Appeal, sponsored by the Chronicle, is back to make sure that doesn't happen.
In 2022, the appeal supported more than 3,000 vulnerable children and young adults and this year expects the need to be even greater due to the cost of living crisis.
Among supporters this year is The Club at Mapledurham who will be collecting new and nearly new gifts to donate to the cause.
Club experience manager Clare Deakin-Smith said: "We’re a very family-oriented club. Children are a very important aspect to the whole club, including the restaurant, the swimming pool, and the outside areas. And there’s nothing nicer than a happy child. I’ve got four, they’ve all grown up and left home, but I know what it’s like to have happy children.
“I have always instilled in all my children that you have to look at people that aren’t as fortunate. And to be able to support that here, and just get everybody to open their eyes and their minds a little bit and go, ‘let’s help’. "
Adding: "It doesn’t take a lot as well. Because nobody’s asking for big boxes of £50 Lego or anything. It’s just things that young people will take a huge amount of pleasure in opening – everyone loves to open presents."
Reading Family Aid’s Toys & Teens appeal is, once again, accepting new and nearly new toys at over 30 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.
Ms Deakin-Smith said: "I think as much help as anybody can offer, with just giving little things at Christmas - it makes a huge difference just to put a smile on a child’s face, or a young adult’s face.
“It is about doing a little something, for a little person. And whether that person is 16 or 5, anything that we can do to help, or anything that other businesses can do to help, by contacting the people that use their business, it’s perfect.”
You can support the appeal by dropping off new or nearly new toys to any of the collection points listed below, including at The Club at Mapledurham reception.
Details on what can be donated at readingfamilyaid.org/toys-and-gifts-we-would-love-and-those-we-cant-use.html
If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that receive less donations each year. Donate online to https://gofund.me/292470f4
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