As child poverty rates climb across the United Kingdom, many families in Birmingham are confronting a Christmas where even basic comforts feel like a distant hope.
The Growing Need and a Local Solution
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, 31% of children in the UK are now living in poverty, a stark statistic that deeply affects communities in Birmingham and beyond. In response, The Toy Appeal charity is rallying local residents to support its mission of providing Christmas gift sacks to children in need.
The initiative is straightforward: Birmingham locals are encouraged to donate any clean, good-condition toys their children no longer use to local charity shops, Salvation Army branches, food banks, or community drop-off points. For every donation made, the partnering brand AttractionTickets.com will contribute £5 to The Toy Appeal.
How Your Donation Makes a Difference
Each Toy Appeal sack costs £25 to create and is filled with an average of seven to eight brand-new, thoughtfully selected gifts. The contents are designed to deliver Christmas morning magic, typically including a main present, a stocking filler, a board game or puzzle, an arts and crafts item, a teddy bear, a ball or sports toy, and a book.
To get involved, follow these steps:
- Find a toy your child no longer plays with, ensuring it is clean, in good working order, and carries the CE safety mark.
- Donate it to a participating local charity shop, Salvation Army, food bank, or community centre.
- Take a photo of you handing over the donation (without children's faces) and email it to [email protected]. Each submitted photo triggers the £5 donation from AttractionTickets.com.
The People Behind the Mission
Dee Drake, who founded The Toy Appeal with her husband Chris in 2013 after learning they could not have children of their own, reflected on the charity's journey. "This year marks our 13th Christmas running The Toy Appeal," Dee stated. "That first year we supported 500 children and by this Christmas we'll have provided festive sacks to 75,000 children across the UK."
She emphasised the role of their volunteers, who work all year to sort and deliver the sacks to schools, social workers, food banks, and women's refuges. "Seeing the impact these gifts have on families reminds us why we started this," she added, "to make sure every child feels the joy they deserve at Christmas."
Oliver Brendon, CEO of AttractionTickets.com, commented on the partnership's goal: "Through this initiative, we hope to encourage families across the UK to unite in giving every child the chance to experience the magic of Christmas morning." He noted that the drive also helps stock local charity shops with quality toys, making them more accessible to parents.
Please note: The Toy Appeal does not accept physical toy donations directly. All toys should be donated locally, and AttractionTickets.com will make the financial contribution to The Toy Appeal on behalf of participants.
