IT is 35 years since Bolton Lions started the Caring Christmas Appeal helping many thousands of children have a happy festive season.

Without their untiring help these children would have faced a bleak Christmas as they were from the most disadvantaged families in our communities.

Once again the hard-working Bolton Lions charity is launching its Caring Christmas appeal in conjunction with The Bolton News.

Each week we will feature information about this appeal and how you, the readers, can help make children’s dreams come true.

When you are busy buying your Christmas presents you can pop a gift in for one of the many children the appeal helps.

We always struggle to find gifts for our older youngsters so these are most welcome.

Last year 1,300 children were helped by the appeal an increase of 300 on 2016.

“It is simply a sign of the times,” explained Lion John Crompton.

This year the list could well be even longer.

There are school assemblies where gifts are collected and church services.

But we are looking to our readers to do their bit as they always do.

Just pop a gift into one the collection boxes and you will know it is going to a very worthy cause and making a family very happy.

Who to contact/ where to drop off your gift 

ASTLEY BRIDGE JEFF HARTLEY 01204 303427        
BLACKROD JOHN FAIRHURST 01204 695089                
BROMLEY CROSS TONY MURPHY 01204 307364        
BREIGHTMET / TONGE MOOR BRIAN PEARSON 0161 705 2492        
DEANE / DAUBHILL BABU ROYE 01204 305585        
DUNSCAR / EGERTON TONY FOSTER 01204 301511        
FARNWORTH / KEARSLEY JOHN BERRY 01204 458672        
GREAT LEVER JOHN CROMPTON 01204 571540        
WESTHOUGHTON JOHN FAIRHURST 01204 695089        
HALLIWELL JOHN BERRY 01204 458672    
HARWOOD RAY STAFFORD 01204 306030        
CHORLEY OLD / NEW ROAD JOHN FAIRHURST 01204 695089        
HORWICH / LOSTOCK DAVID SEAGER 01257 263053
BOLTON LIONS CHRISTMAS TOY APPEAL 2017
COLLECTION VENUES
TESCO BOLTON HORWICH EXTRA, MANSELL WAY, MIDDLEBROOK 
ASDA, ASTLEY BRIDGE, MOSS BANK WAY, BOLTON        
ASDA, FARNWORTH, BRACKLEY STREET, FARNWORTH                        
THE MARKET PLACE, BOLTON        
BOLTON NEWS, THE WELLSPRINGS , CIVIC CENTRE             
VICTORIA SQUARE, BOLTON
THE SOUTHFIELDS, 19 GREEN LANE, BOLTON
TOBY CARVERY BOLTON, CROMPTON WAY
HORWICH COMMUNITY CENTRE, BEAUMONT ROAD, HORWICH
READEYS SPORTS TROPHIES, 428 CHORLEY OLD ROAD, BOLTON            HAYS TRAVEL, 64 MARKET STREET, WESTHOUGHTON
HAYS TRAVEL, 72 WINTER HEY LANE, HORWICH          
WYEVALE GARDEN CENTRE, WIGAN ROAD, BOLTON     
BOOTS CHEMIST, GATES SHOPPING CENTRE, BOLTON    
ALEXANDRA WEST, SALES & LETTINGS, 469             
DARWEN ROAD, BROMLEY CROSS
JEFF JAMES HAIRSHOP, 528 BLACKBURN ROAD, ASTLEY BRIDGE
KINDERGYM, LOSTOCK PARISH CENTRE
THE COFFEE SHOP AT THE TRIANGLE, CHORLEY OLD ROAD

BUCHANAN’S, 37 WINTER HEY LANE, HORWICH, BOLTON                    
THE BEAUMONT ARMS, ARMADALE ROAD, LADYBRIDGE, BL3 4XB