Heywood Christmas Toy Appeal launches website so it can help more children this Christmas

It is now easier than ever to donate to the annual Heywood Christmas Toy Appeal, with the launch of its first-ever website.

The appeal was started in 2017 by Martyn Allen, owner of Shaw’s Opticians in Heywood, following a discussion about the way some local families in Heywood had struggled to afford to buy any Christmas presents for their children a few weeks earlier.

Upset at the thought of local children waking up to nothing on Christmas morning, Martyn decided to set up the toy appeal to make it easier for struggling Heywood families to give their children a much happier Christmas.

However, without large enough premises to contain all the donations, Martyn reached out to Kavanagh & Coates Funeral Services who offered space above their office to store the presents – which has continued to this day.

Read more: Funeral home decked with donated toys for struggling parentsPublished: 20 December 2019

The toy appeal encourages everyone from local families and schools to businesses and community groups to all give something to help others at Christmas, from new toys to pre-loved or unused gifts.

The toys are taken in and stored throughout the year by Martyn and sorted in time for Christmas. Then, just before Christmas, the local families who are identified as needing help, and those who come forward asking for the help of the Toy Appeal, are invited in to choose toys and presents that they can take away free of charge and wrap up to give to their children on Christmas morning.

Martyn said: “In this day and age, local children shouldn’t be without toys to play with at Christmas. We all got toys at Christmas when we were young, as did my own children. And in many instances, we get too much, and that excess can be shared around to those less fortunate.”

Helping children in Heywood up to Year 6 age (10/11 years old), the appeal has grown each year allowing many more families to create a special Christmas.

If you would like to apply for help from the Heywood Christmas Toy Appeal, please fill in the application form via the following link:

• heywoodchristmastoyappeal.co.uk/apply-for-help/

Alternatively, you can donate funds to the appeal via:

• www.gofundme.com/f/heywood-christmas-toy-appeal

For more information about how and what to donate, please visit the Heywood Christmas Toy Appeal website:

• heywoodchristmastoyappeal.co.uk/