A Christmas gift appeal for children and young teenagers in need has been declared the ‘best ever’ by its organisers.
Staff at South Gloucestershire’s Active Lifestyle Centres say they have been overwhelmed at the response to their annual Toy Exchange for the Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal.
The five centres run by Circadian Trust have been deluged with donations over the past few weeks, which has resulted in too many gifts to count and prompted an extension to the donation deadline to Wednesday, 17th December.
It’s the third year the centres in Bradley Stoke, Thornbury, Yate, Kingswood and Longwell Green have organised a toy exchange – with previous collections benefiting Bristol Children’s Charity, The Samaritans, and Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity.
Everyone who donates a new toy, or something suitable for a teenager, receives a free one-day pass for a gym session and is entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a six-month free membership.
Representatives from the mayoral appeal called in to Bradley Stoke Active Lifestyle Centre to see the response for themselves.
Joy Simmonds, Chair of the Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal, was joined by former Lord Mayor, the Honourable Councillor Jos Clark, who donned her ceremonial robes and hat for the occasion.
Joy says: “We were genuinely overwhelmed by the generosity shown through this year’s toy exchange. The volume and thoughtfulness of the donations will make a real difference to children and teenagers who might otherwise go without at Christmas.
“What makes this partnership particularly special is the way it supports families in a variety of circumstances. Some of the gifts donated will be wrapped by people in prison, working with one of our partner charities, so they can be given to their own children on family days.
“Alongside this, Active Lifestyle Centres are also encouraging wellbeing in the wider community by offering a one-day pass and the chance to win a six-month membership. It’s a powerful example of how local organisations can come together to support children, families and communities in a meaningful way.”
The toy exchange is seeking new, unwrapped gifts – particularly for teenagers aged 13 to 18 – such as:
Fiona West, Head of Marketing at Circadian Trust, says: “It is our best ever toy exchange, without a shadow of a doubt. We’ve had hundreds of gifts – too many to count, people have been that generous. What’s been notable this year is the number of gifts we’ve had for teenagers, it’s great people have recognised this age range.”
The Lord Mayor’s appeal, which dates back to the 1920s, raises money throughout the year to help the most disadvantaged children and young people, relying on the generosity of individuals, schools, organisations and businesses.
Many of the gifts have already been sent for wrapping in readiness for Christmas with the remainder being collected after the 17th deadline.
Circadian Trust, which runs the Active Lifestyle Centres in partnership of South Gloucestershire Council, is itself a charitable organisation and has recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its inception.
Its not-for-profit status has enabled the Trust to reinvest more than £16m in modernising services and facilities at its centres, including a £2.5m refurbishment programme for the gyms at all five centres, and £1m on rooftop solar panels to create electricity and subsidise energy costs.
The trust offers a wide range of leisure facilities and services and is committed to making a positive difference to everyone within its local communities, providing a diverse, and inclusive environment for all.
To find out more about Active Lifestyle Centres’ Christmas Toy Exchange visit: https://activecentres.org/christmas-toy-exchange/
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