We approached Christmas 2022 with some trepidation after the large increase in demand in 2020 for toys and gifts for deserving children. But we braced ourselves and actually started full time work in early October and received our first six requests for toys for 127 children on the 19th of October. Nothing like hindsight but that should have given us a clue of what was coming.
By the time Christmas arrived we had had requests to provide toys for more than 4,700 children an increase of over 400 compared to 2021.
We were only able to do this because of the support of the people and businesses of Leicestershire and Rutland through their donations of new toys and gifts, monetary donations either by cheque or Just Giving on our web site. Also we could have not managed to do this without the companies, municipal offices, shops, supermarkets and markets that act as collection points or the volunteers both private and released by their employers to wrap those 4,700 presents.
We have in the past forgotten to mention all the individual referrers from Social organisations that not only put forward the requests for toys/gifts for deserving children, but they then also have to deliver these to the children making sure that the presents are with the children for Christmas. So thankyou guys for allowing us to be the conduit to supply presents to those deserving children.
We at Toys on the Table never actually see any of the children but we do get follow up letters and e-mails from the referrers telling us what a difference the gifts from the people of Leicestershire and Rutland have made to the lives of children that would otherwise have not received a gift.
On the children’s behalf TOTT would like to send all the donors in Leicestershire and Rutland a great big
THANK YOU.