Toy and gift appeal 2017: Please give generously!

Susan Coxall and Robert Wharton at Wellingborough Museum, which will again be acting as a collection point for toys

Our readers have been very generous in previous years and once again we are hoping for a bumper crop of gifts which will be distributed to families across Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden by Northamptonshire County Council’s social services team.

Corby Council and Wellingborough Museum have once again offered to act as collection points for the appeal.

Jeanette Walsh launched the appeal in 2002 when she worked for the social services team.

Gifts can be dropped off at The Corby Cube.
Pictured are Cllr Jean Addison and Megan Gourlay with some of the gifts donated last year — Gifts can be dropped off at The Corby Cube. Pictured are Cllr Jean Addison and Megan Gourlay with some of the gifts donated last year

Although she is now retired, Jeanette is still involved in the appeal – albeit in the role of her alter ego, Mother Christmas.

She said: “Every year I say it, and every year it is true, people are so generous and it is overwhelming.

“I can’t express what a big difference something small like this makes to children and teenagers who might not be getting any other gifts at Christmas time.”

Jeanette stressed that the appeal isn’t only aimed at young children and that the social services team also deals with many teenagers.

She added: “We don’t want older children and teenagers to be forgotten, so if people are able to not only donate toys but also things older children would like, such as toiletries, make-up, jewellery, vouchers and so on, that would be fantastic.”

This year donations can be dropped off, unwrapped, at Kettering’s William Knibb Centre, in Montagu Street, between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Anyone dropping off gifts at the William Knibb Centre is asked to use the front, main entrance.

Gifts can also be dropped off at the Corby Cube, which is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 5pm.

Wellingborough Museum is also acting as a collection point and is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm.

Northants Telegraph editor David Summers said: “Every year people really go out of their way to support the appeal and we cannot thank them enough.

“We’re also indebted to the staff at the William Knibb Centre in Kettering, to Wellingborough Museum and to Corby Council, who have all agreed to act as collection points for the gifts this year once again.

“Without their help the appeal would not be the huge success it has been.”

People are asked to drop off gifts before Monday, December 18.

On that day, all the gifts are gathered at the William Knibb Centre before being distributed in time for Christmas.