Inside toy banks saving Xmas for families who can't afford gifts for their kids
No parent wants to tell their child that Santa won’t visit this year. But it’s a shocking reality for far too many. Research released by the charity Family Action earlier this month showed one in seven parents would be unable to give their kids a single Christmas present this year.
However, toy banks and hordes of volunteers have stepped in, doing their utmost to prevent as much disappointment as possible. One such team work at the Salvation Army’s Oldham Fitton Hill Church, Greater Manchester.
They have spent a month packing up thousands of donated toys. So far these boxes of gifts have been given to 310 local families. But just two days before Christmas Day, referrals to the service are still coming in.
Kim Rogers, a community engagement coordinator for
, says the Oldham toy bank has had record demand in 2023. She said: “There’s at least 100 more families who have been in touch with us this year compared to last.”
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Community Engagement Officer Kim Rogers says the Oldham toy bank has been in record demand (Daily Mirror)Kim has worked on the Christmas Present Appeal for 10 years. Still packing gift boxes as she spoke to the Mirror, Kim added: “Every time I’ve looked at my emails there’s been more referrals – eight today already.
“This year I’m seeing a lot of working families who are struggling to get by, new people we have never interacted with before. A lot more households are living hand to mouth. The toy, as well as food donations have taken pressure off people who may have otherwise turned to credit cards and loan sharks.”
Oldham Fitton Hill’s volunteers take in gifts for children from newborns up to 18. Referrals come from schools and the NHS, but people can also get in touch with the church or Salvation Army directly to self-refer. All gifts, which also include items such as clothing and electricals, are brand new and in original packaging.
Each family gets five per child, completely free. Donations come from local businesses, individuals and a partnership between The Entertainer and the Salvation Army – the toy shop donates a gift to match each customer’s in-store donations. Oldham’s Salvation Army enlisted the help of some local children to find out what gifts would be popular this year. But it’s not just toys. Warm clothes and blankets have also been on many children’s lists.
Volunteer Graham Rogers with a sack of toys to be delivered to families in the communityKim said: “There was a child in one of our baby groups the other day who started talking to me about what they wanted from Santa, and they said they had asked for warm pyjamas. It really upset me. Speaking to his mum, she said at the moment he only had short ones and she couldn’t afford to buy new ones, so we went out and bought some to give to him so he didn’t have to wait until Christmas. Seeing that level of need and how much people are struggling is tough.”
While this year’s figures have not yet been released, in 2022 the Salvation Army distributed around 76,000 presents nationwide. One new difficulty this year has been that while demand for the service has soared, in many areas donations have fallen as more people tighten their belts.
Kim says: “I was really worried this year because by the end of November, we had nowhere near as many donations as last year. But thankfully we managed to push it quite a lot and some came in.”
Julia Anyon, of the Salvation Army, said of donations: “We get a real mix of things, everything from makeup to smartwatches and Lego. Young children may not understand if their parents can’t afford to get them presents as they think Santa gets it, which makes things difficult.”
Julia Anyon says the Salvation Army receives a real mix of donations, from makeup to LegoThe toy bank relies on an army of volunteers to get the presents out. Jorena Oliver, 56, began volunteering a few years ago.
She said: “I understand what people who come here are going through, as I struggled myself when my daughters were growing up –parents have come to us saying they aren’t putting the heating on to be able to pay for other things such as food. You just want to cry. However, seeing the emotions on people’s faces change and how they smile when they pick the toys up makes you know that you are helping, and that’s very rewarding.”
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