BOLTON’S Christmas toy appeal has been a roaring success with £24,000 raised so far — but there is now just one week to go to reach our £30,000 target.
Bolton Lions’ president Ray Stafford said: “The response from Bolton businesses and the public has been truly amazing and far exceeded our expectations.”
The charity’s appeal has been helping provide toys for needy local families at Christmas for the past 37 years.
But this year a lack of revenue due to cancelled fundraising events and members shielding threatened to prevent it going ahead.
Then Bolton Action Group – including the University of Bolton, Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, Carr’s Pasties, Greenhalgh’s bakers, Whysup, Lisa Forshaw PR and Bolton FM – got behind the appeal. They were joined by The Bolton News, the Bolton Family, Bolton at Home and Urban Outreach to ensure it took place this year.
And the appeal has attracted support from across the town. Lions’ member Steve Parker, accompanied by fellow rider Stuart Maxwell, cycled 300 miles to raise £1,000, boosted to £3,000 by his generous employers.
Swansway Motor Group, whose local dealership is Swansway Honda Bolton, made a significant donation.
Group director John Smyth said: “As a family business, we just want to help make Christmas a little bit more special for these children.”
Estate agent Kate Roe from Roe & Co contributed money from every instruction that came on the market.
She said: “Christmas is going to be very difficult this year for a lot of people so I wanted to do something to help local families and urge everyone else who can to do the same.”
And Bakewells Care Home made a donation after residents saw the appeal article in The Bolton News.
“Everyone has had a tough year but we wanted to do something really nice for others for Christmas,” said managing director Andy Morgan.
The university, Toughsheet Building Products, Carr’s Brickworks Ltd, Concrete Drilling Services and Kaye Price from KP Financial Wellbeing all donated, as did St James’s Place.
Doug Mercer, managing director of Toughsheet Building Products said: "I wanted to help put smiles on kids’ faces. The smiles brighten up everybody around them and, by 'eck, we all need that at the moment.”
Prof George Holmes, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “We are proud to be able to support this appeal to help children enjoy a happy Christmas, made especially challenging this year because of the pandemic."
Regular appeal supporters Bolton Guild of Help also donated £3,000.
The Bolton News’ Editor Steve Thompson: “It doesn’t matter how much you give – or even if you just show your support. I want to thank everyone in the town who is behind this fantastic cause.
“I know we can hit this target – so we need everyone to dig deep for one last push. We can do this Bolton!”
To help the toy appeal visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/boltonlionsclub
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