Toys on the Table appeal to give disadvantaged children a better Christmas is getting under way in Harborough

Collection points will be available for people to drop off their toys
The Toys on the Table appeal to give disadvantaged children a better Christmas is getting under way in Harborough.The Toys on the Table appeal to give disadvantaged children a better Christmas is getting under way in Harborough.
The Toys on the Table appeal to give disadvantaged children a better Christmas is getting under way in Harborough.

The heartwarming Toys on the Table appeal to give disadvantaged children a better Christmas is getting under way in Harborough.

And you can drop off toys at Harborough Market in Market Harborough once again as the district-wide effort is launched.

Local radio station HFM is asking people to leave new toys at the market’s General Hall in the town centre.

That will serve as a collection point for the special festive mission.

Toys for babies to children, aged up to 16, can be donated and must be new and unwrapped.

For older children, it can also be a gift – such as new books, clothing, gloves, hats, toiletries, etc – for girls and boys.

The Toys on the Table charity has over the years brilliantly co-ordinated county-wide efforts to give thousands of children from struggling families in Harborough and Leicestershire Christmas presents.

The Leicester-based charity distributes toys via referrals from the social services, foodbanks, schools, and women’s aid groups.

And referrals are already at a very high level as many families battle to make ends meet following the Covid pandemic.

Cllr Phil King, who leads Harborough District Council, said: “We’re very pleased that we can once again support the HFM and Toys on the Table appeal - and thank our Market staff for once again helping with this.

“It has been another difficult year for many people.

“And this appeal can make a massive difference to the lives of children at Christmas.”

Bill Bowley, of Toys on the Table, said: “The appeal has been going for 40 years and the numbers of children needing help has been going up every year, particularly due to Covid.

“The support of the people of the Harborough district is very important to us - and over the years HFM and the council have always supported us and people’s generosity is so appreciated.

“The positive feedback we get from families who receive the presents is priceless.”

Last year HFM listeners donated over 2,000 new toys to the appeal.

The radio station is once again urging people to get behind their campaign as demand for new toys in a bid to brighten up Christmas for children from hard-up families goes up.

HFM’s Nick Shaw said: “We’re so grateful to Harborough Market for stepping in again this year to be the collection point for the appeal.

“Toys On The Table is always fantastically supported by our listeners and it is great they can drop off toys at such a central point in the town.

“We hope the appeal will once again be a great success and help brighten up Christmas morning for lots of disadvantaged children.”

You can drop off toys from Tuesday November 16 during the market’s opening hours (Tuesday-Saturday 8am-4pm and Sunday 10am-3pm). The last day for toys to be donated at the market is Christmas Eve before 3pm.

Please think about recycling and packaging and shopping sustainably when donating toys.

You can find out a lot more about the Toys on the Table charity here: https://www.toysonthetable.org.uk/how-can-you-help/Charity Collection | Refer a Child - Toys on the Table Leicester

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