A toy appeal has been launched in Salisbury with the aim of providing a Christmas present for children from families who might otherwise go without this Christmas.
Salisbury's annual Toy Appeal launched this morning (13th November) on Salisbury Radio, and it is estimated that over 500 children could benefit from the toy appeal. The local community is being asked to help make a child's Christmas a little bit more special.
Cathryn Osmond from Ozweld International, one of the people behind the Appeal, said, "It's been so hard the last few years. So many families are struggling across our community, and a lot of people won't ask for help.
"I don't think any child should ever miss out on Christmas, you know, the excitement of opening a new toy. And so we just sort of decided, let's try and reinstate the great toy appeal and give a child a Christmas."
The cost-of-living crisis has left many families relying on food banks and pantries to help them get by on a weekly basis. With hundreds of families registered at the two pantries that cover Salisbury and Old Sarum and Longhedge, the appeal aims to help these families make their Christmas a little more magical.
Gemma Phillips from the Old Sarum & Longhedge Pantry added, "Every child deserves a magical Christmas. It doesn't have to be hundreds of pounds worth of toys or anything like that, but something to open on Christmas and to have that experience of Santa... just that magical feeling that we all had as children.
"Why should this generation of children miss out because of something is completely out of their hands? We are working with Oswald International and the pantry in Salisbury to try to get every child a toy."
Local businesses have already signed up to support the Toy Appeal and have offered to act as collection points while donating to the cause — and you can get involved, too.
Salisbury Radio with support from its advertisers hopes to donate at least £2,000 to the Appeal within the next few weeks.
Salisbury residents are being encouraged to purchase an 'extra present' this Christmas and drop it off at one of the drop-off points, or they can also donate via the JustGiving Page.
Once the money has been collected, the team will complete a trolley dash at Symths Toys in Salisbury before the presents are handed over to the Pantries. The toy superstore on Churchill Way West is supporting the appeal by helping the team with the trolley dash and donating money to the cause.
You can drop a present off at the following locations:
Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm - Amesbury Road, Cholderton
Fexco Property Services - 84 Fisherton Street, Salisbury
JCP Engineers - Mills Way, Amesbury
Ozweld International - Barnack Industrial Estate, Wilton
Pro-Tyre - Edison Road, Churchfields Ind Estate, Salisbury
Porton Garden, Aquatic & Pet Centre - Porton
Snow Bar - Salisbury's Guildhall Square
The deadline for donating to the toy appeal is Friday, 13th December, so toys can be sorted before the pantries distribute them.
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