Bank on Us: Help save Christmas with our Toy Bank Appeal!

THE Glasgow Times have launched a campaign to save Christmas for families across the city. The Scottish Government child poverty statistics for Glasgow show that around 25% of children are living in relative poverty. The Bank on Us Toy Appeal is calling on Glaswegians to donate toys to youngsters throughout the city and take pressure off the hard working mums, dads and guardians who are facing an uncertain festive period due to the continuing Covid-19 crisis.

The Glasgow Times have launched the third year of Bank.On.Us backed by Storage Vault, Pandemonium Play Centre and The Emmie Smillie Charity Foundation – our festive foodbank appeal in 2019 successfully ensured the city's foodbanks were well stocked through December, when families are likely to experience increased financial pressures due to rising heating bills. While last year’s toybank campaign brought in around £15,000 and delivered around 100,000 gifts to our most vulnerable children. This year we are back to save Christmas, by aiming for every child in Glasgow to open a present on December 25. We are hoping our readers, nurseries, schools and city businesses will get behind it.

We hope you will join us in doing all we can to spread some Christmas spirit to those who are struggling most this holiday season. As the festive season approaches, toy banks across the country are gearing up for an influx of struggling parents and guardians hoping to bring joy to their little ones this Christmas. Each year, hundreds of Glaswegians are referred to the sites by social workers, foodbanks and children’s charities. However, this year, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause redundancies and businesses to fold, it’s expected to be worse than ever before with potentially thousands of families across the country relying on the banks.

How can you help?
Enclosed in every edition of 3rd December’s Glasgow Times is a paper bag and we are asking readers to add a toy in and take it to your nearest toy bank across the city. Many schools from around the city are also participating in the campaign too.

We are also asking readers to help get the message out about our appeal across all social channels with the hashtag #bankonus.

For a list of Toy Appeals you can directly donate to, CLICK HERE

Not able to donate a toy but can donate money instead?
We know not everyone is able to go out and purchase a toy to donate therefore we are asking you to donate money to this campaign. Proceeds raised will be used to purchase toys. These gifts will be distributed to charities around the city. To donate money to the cause please visit our Go Fund Me Campaign Page by clicking the button below.

We hope you'll get involved and help to spread a little cheer as we round off this extremely difficult year.