It’s fantastic to hear that Daniel and Deborah Rooke’s Christmas Toy Appeal has been so successful.
The appeal called on Islanders to donate gifts for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who perhaps might not receive a Christmas present this year.
Smashed the target
With an original target of 500 gifts, Islanders came out in full support of the appeal and smashed that target by donating a whopping 2,233 gifts.
All the gifts have now been wrapped and distributed to those agencies who had been in touch.
Gifts being distributed
Those who received gifts from the Christmas Toy Appeal included:
The Children’s Society
Spurgeons
Furze Hill
St Mary’s Hospital
Beaulieu House
Women’s Refuge
Yarborough House
YMCA Young Carers
Isle of Wight Youth Services
The Foodbank
YMCA Child Bereavement
Homestart
TCS Parenting Programme
All down to Josie da Bank
Organiser Daniel Rooke said, “We would like to thank everybody who has donated a gift to the Appeal, the volunteer wrappers and all those individuals and businesses who have helped make the first IOW Christmas Toy Appeal such a success. Deborah and I would particularly like to thank IOW Radio, the County Press and The Bestival Foundation for their dedication and commitment to this Appeal. We want to say a special thank you to Josie da Bank, without whom the Appeal would not have happened.”
Bestival organiser Rob da Bank who helped to organise the appeal said, “Wow – the Isle of Wight smashed it yet again and really showed us the true meaning of Christmas! Massive thanks from the da Banks and the whole Bestival crew to all you lovely generous Islanders… ”
The gifts are going to make a huge difference to many families this year. Well done to all those who supported the appeal. We hear it’ll be returning in 2013.
