Thank you! - Shropshire Star's record-breaking toy appeal bringing joy to hundreds of youngsters

The generosity of Shropshire Star readers surpassed all expectations as this year's appeal attracted almost 1,500 donations.

We relaunched the appeal in November, after a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the response has been phenomenal.

The original plan was to distribute your gifts between four different organisations – The Harry Johnson Trust, which supports children with cancer, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust, The Movement Centre which treats children with cerebral palsy and similar conditions, and Telford Young Carers. But so generous has been the response from Shropshire Star readers that we were left with a surplus of toys, which we have shared out between Telford Crisis Support and Telford & Wrekin Council's fostering services.

It is the fifth time the appeal has been held, and takes the total number of gifts distributed beyond the 6,500 mark.

This year, for the first time, we formed a partnership with Shropshire brewery Joule's, with four of the company's pubs providing collection points where people could drop off their gifts; The White Horse, Shrewsbury, the Red Lion, Market Drayton, the King's Arms in Church Stretton, and the Crown Wharf in Stone.

Telford-based Recycle IT4U also provided a collection point for the appeal.

Golden Bear Toys, also based in Telford, very kindly donated a van-full of toys, which were gratefully received by the good causes the appeal supported. And Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner presented us with 100 craft sets donated by the Princess of Wales.

Staff at Telford-based WonderDays also donated a large quantity of gifts.

Julia Clarke, director of public participation at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, said the appeal meant that every child who would be on either the children's ward or oncology ward over Christmas would be given a present.

But she added that the fantastic response meant the hospital would also be able to extend this offer to children visiting the A&E units at both the Princess Royal Hospital, in Telford, and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital over the Christmas period.

"A huge thank you to the amazing readers of the Shropshire Star who have surpassed themselves," she said.

"This will really brighten up Christmas for some of the children who might be having a difficult time.

"We have received a comprehensive range of toys right from those suitable for small babies, right the way up to things for teenagers, from the ages of 0-17, there really is something for everyone."

She added that any left over would be delivered by midwives to families suffering from hardship.

Curtis Langley, fundraising and marketing officer at The Movement Centre in Gobowen, was thrilled with this year's haul.

The charity, based at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, provides therapies for youngsters with mobility problems caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome.

He said that many of the interactive and sensory toys would help with their treatment.

"Coming over to collect these toys has been like Christmas Day," he said.

"It's great to have been involved again, after a couple of years when you weren't able to do it due to the pandemic.

"It's been great to see how generous people have been, a huge thank-you to the Shropshire Star and Joule's and everyone that donated so many toys and gifts, that will go out to the families we provide therapy for.

"All the children we work with have difficulties with their movement and co-ordination, and these toys will help lots of children, particularly the ones with lights and sounds. There are a lot of cuddly toys as well, and hopefully these will be comforting for the children."

Sue Last and Lucie Roberjot collected more than 200 gifts on behalf of Telford Young Carers, which provides support for youngsters who are responsible for caring for a loved one.

Mrs Roberjot said: "This will make a significant difference to young people who have a difficult caring role for parents or relatives.

"These children often miss out at Christmas, because their families often have severe physical disabilities and mental health needs.

"We would like to say thank you to all the people that have contributed generously."

Sally Johnson, founder of The Harry Johnson Trust, which provides support to youngsters suffering from cancer and their families, also received hundreds of gifts on behalf of the charity.

Mrs Johnson and her husband Stephen founded the trust in 2014 following the death of her seven-year-old son Harry from a rare form of cancer.

The couple decided to use donations made at Harry's funeral to help families going through similar ordeals. Since then the charity has blossomed and now provides a comprehensive support package for all children from Shropshire and Mid Wales who are receiving cancer treatment from the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust.

Mrs Johnson said: "We are overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the incredible amount of toys we have had donated.

"We will make sure they find good homes for local children with cancer, and say thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

She said they will be shared between individual children with cancer and their families, but some of them also go to Harry's House, a new venture that provides free holidays for young cancer patients.

Harry's House is a holiday home at Gwernydd Hall, between Welshpool and Newtown. Mrs Johnson said many youngsters with cancer miss out on family holidays because they are unable to travel far from the hospital.

She said the aim was to offer the family of every child up to the age of 18, who has been treated for cancer at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust, a holiday each year. The offer will also be extended to parents who have lost children to the condition.

Shropshire Star editor-in-chief Martin Wright thanked everybody who had contributed to the appeal, saying it had far exceeded expectations.

"The response to this year's Christmas Toy Appeal has been incredible," he said.

"When we launched the appeal in November we were mindful that many people were affected by rising living costs, but the generosity of Shropshire Star readers has been a sight to behold.

"Our heartfelt thanks to everybody who has contributed to the appeal, to our partners at Joule's and the pub landlords who helped make it happen, and of course to all the businesses who got behind this year's campaign."