Sleighed by your kindness … Christmas Toy Appeal reaches target

SLEIGHED by your kindness.  The Kevin Jenkins OBE Newham Christmas Toy Appeal 2024 reached its target just in time for youngsters who would not otherwise get gifts top enjoy the magic of Yuletide.

The appeal, run by charity  Ambition, Aspire, Achieve (AAA) in partnership with the Newham Recorder successfully completed its mission for the 47^th consecutive year.

The final gifts have been distributed over the last ten days in the run up to Christmas Eve.

Among the stars as the appeal went into its final days were the volunteers at our Toy Warehouse. Teams team from Thought Machine, a cloud banking technology company, Janus Henderson Investors and the Bank of New York Mellon were among those at the appeal’s Toy Warehouse kindly donated by Gallions Reach Shopping Park, Beckton, in the final few days.

• Jonny and James Asser and Paula with John Ratomski

The Thought Machine team worked with Academy Players from West Ham United (pictured below), who volunteered as well as bringing gifts for the appeal.  And gifts from the Holiday Inn Express, Stratford, James Asser MP, and John Ratomski from Irons Supporting Foodbanks also boosted our total.

And Terry Brown and Sahara Homes weighed in with an incredible gift of £5,000 to the appeal to help us reach our target. They are pictured below presenting their gift.

Jonny Boux, CEO, AAA said: “On behalf of all at Ambition Aspire Achieve and most importantly the children that are benefiting from the appeal a huge thank you to all who have so generously given their support. The final weeks of the appeal have seen a surge of donations and our roll of honour this year is full of acts of kindness from the many who responded to our call out for help in November.

“Times continue to be tough for many, but the support provided by businesses, local schools, community groups and a huge number of individuals have made a tremendous difference. We can’t thank them all enough for helping to make the appeal success.”

Paula Blake, Toy Appeal Co-ordinator, AAA, said: “We have received an overwhelming number of requests to provide gifts for children this year, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by local families. The incredible generosity of our supporters has been truly inspiring and has made a world of difference.

“Everyone has come together to help create a magical Christmas for the many children referred to us, making it a remarkable collective effort. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to everyone who has donated so generously and supported us this year. We couldn’t have achieved this without you!”

And today we present our Roll of Honour for the appeal 2024.

There may be more to thank next week due to production deadlines for donations in the appeal’s last days.

Toy warehouse:  Gallions Reach Shopping Park.

• Gallions ReachManagement Team RebeccaToner-and Andy Pay and, Jonny, Paula, and CandyBuckler AAA Outdoor co-ordinator

Corporate Supporters: Toy, gift, financial donations and direct support:

Sahara Homes and Terry Brown, Gallions Reach Shopping Park, Mace, Investec and the Zurich Insurance Group. LEGO Group, Hill Group, BNY Mellon, Bowling and Co, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, James Hallam, Viking Global Investors, Axis Europe, Barclays and Thames Water.

Tate & Lyle, BAIN Capital, All Funds, Janus Henderson, Mae, L&Q, Fremantle, Valero, Barclays, Reed Smith, Neilcott Construction, Glyn Hopkin, Alberts Schloss, PlayEquip Ltd, TJX Europe, Thought Machine, Burberry, David Potts, Higgins Partnerships and AGS Shutters and Berkeley Offshore Underwriting Managers.

Bluewater Shopping Centre, Stratford Shopping Centre, Holiday Inn Express Stratford, Schuh and Berkeley Offshore Underwriting Managers.

Toy/Book Companies: Toy/book donations and discounted toys/books: Scholastic Books, Newham Bookshop, Keel Toys, ABGee Toys, Little Brothers Books and Padgett Toys.

Schools: Financial donations and gifts: Curwen Primary School, New City Primary School, Lister School, Forest School, Sheringham Nursery School, Sandringham Primary School, Stratford School Academy, Kier Hardie Primary School, Rosetta Primary School, Calverton Primary School and Dersingham Primary School.

Altmore Infants School, Gainsborough Primary School, Portway Primary School, Scott Wilkie Primary School, Winsor Primary School, Ellen Wilkinson Primary School, Colegrave Primary School. Eastlea Community School, Kensington Primary School, Maryland Primary School, Grange Primary School and Brampton Primary School.

North Beckton Primary School, Beckton and Royal Docks Children’s Centre, Oliver Thomas Nursery School, Sheringham Nursery and Children’s Centre, St Joachim’s Catholic Primary School, Tamba Day Nursery School, Ravenscroft Primary School, Tollgate Primary School, St Stephen’s Children’s Centre, School 2 and Cumberland School.

Churches: Toy and gift donations: All Saints Church, Writtle and St Nicholas Church, Kelvedon Hatch.

Local Supporters/Groups/Individuals: Toy, gift and financial donations:

West Ham United Community Foundation/West Ham United FC, Clapton CFC, Sisters Salma and Layla Haidrani, Triumph East London Bikers Group, Bikers Who Make A Difference, Royal Docks Trust, Dave Burns/Clark Electrical and Deborah Day Dance School.

Karl Fone/Mountain Events, Karen Heather, bake sale, Colin Grainger sponsored swim, Our Newham Money and Our Newham Works, Newham Chamber of Commerce, John Ratomski – Irons Supporting Foodbanks, John Barber DL, Theatre Royal, Stratford East and Neil Taylor – Hammers for Work and Support, Asda, Beckton.

Treats for Kids (Neo and Rico Jain Naha), East London Business Alliance (ELBA), Sir Stephen Timms MP, Uma Kumaran MP, James Asser MP and Donna and Wayne.

Also thank you to the many individuals who have donated cash via our appeal Just Giving Page and Amazon pages and those who donated gifts directly, along with all the volunteers who have provided support in the toy warehouse over the past month.

The smiles on the faces of those young people who open their gifts on Christmas Day will be a reward for everyone involved in our community.

Thank you all

• Kevin Jenkins OBE

• Donations from (bottom to top!)David Potts, the Higgins Partnerships and Berkeley Offshore Underwriting Managers.

Below: Examples of case histories of the children and families the appeal helps every year.

THE appeal aims to provide for each child referred, a Christmas Stocking of new gifts specific to their age, needs, abilities and wherever possible their most wished for gift to open on Christmas morning.

Each year AAA receives referrals from a unique combination of all Newham’s children and family support agencies and organisations including: Children’s Services, Schools, Probation Services, Family Support Groups, Families First, Health Visitors, Community Mental Health Teams, CAMHS, Women’s Aid, and Refuges. General Practitioners Support and Community Groups.

This combination ensures that the Appeal reaches out to, and helps the areas most disadvantaged, vulnerable and at-risk children, who receive very little or no support from surrounding agencies and organisations.

All the children helped will be experiencing the ravages of poverty on a daily basis, compounded by multiple problems and issues. This year continues to be a challenging one for many, with growing numbers of families fearing a difficult winter. Thousands of children in Newham are now living in poverty with all available evidence confirming that the poorest families have been hardest hit by the challenges of recent times (the fall out from the Covid-10 pandemic and the cost-of-living-crisis), pushed deeper into poverty and financial hardship through no fault of their own.

Thank you for making the difference to thousands of vulnerable and disadvantage children and young people growing up in poverty, AAA needs as much as help as possible to raise enough new toys and gifts to ensure no child referred wakes up on Christmas morning to an empty stocking.

Here are examples of the kind of families the appeal helped.

Family A:

A single mother with four children. She has been the sole provider for her family and works part-time providing a modest income. Despite her best efforts to budget carefully, she is finding it increasingly challenging to cover basic living expenses, let alone provide for the extras that bring joy to her children’s lives. Her financial struggles have intensified over the past year due to the rising cost of living. With increased energy bills, food prices, and transportation costs, her part-time income is barely enough to cover rent, utilities, and food and she relies on food banks when her budget runs short. She has also had to make difficult choices between paying for heating and other essential bills, which has left her constantly worrying about keeping her home warm for her children as winter approaches. As Christmas approaches, she faces the heartbreaking reality that she cannot afford presents for her children. She knows how much they look forward to the holiday season and the excitement of unwrapping gifts and worries that the lack of presents will affect her children’s happiness and feels guilty for not being able to provide a festive celebration for them.

Family B:

A single father who recently lost his wife to cancer earlier this year. He is now solely responsible for raising their three children. The family has faced significant emotional turmoil following their loss, and Dad is doing everything he can to provide for his children both financially and emotionally. Due to the financial strain after his wife’s passing, he could no longer afford their family home and had to move to a smaller, more affordable rented accommodation. The current living space is inadequate for their needs, as it lacks outdoor space and is sparsely furnished. The cramped conditions add to the family’s challenges, and Dad struggles to provide the stability and comfort his children need during this difficult time. Dad is currently reliant on benefits, donations, and food banks to cover basic necessities. The family often goes without essentials, and their diet is limited to what they can receive through food donations. Dad is actively searching for work, but the demands of single parenthood and the recent bereavement have made it challenging for him to secure employment that accommodates his family’s needs. The loss of their mother has left the children emotionally fragile. Dad is constantly worried about his children’s well-being, as he knows they need stability and emotional support. With Christmas approaching, he is heartbroken that he cannot afford gifts or create the festive experience he would like for his children. The idea of a Christmas without presents adds to his feelings of inadequacy, as he wants to bring joy to his children amidst the grief and hardship.

Family C:

A two parent family with three children. The family has been struggling with significant challenges as both parents face ongoing mental health issues which has been exacerbated by their financial struggles. These mental health issues have made it difficult for them to maintain consistent employment and provide the stability their family needs, leaving them reliant on state benefits, which barely cover their essential living expenses. The family has faced mounting financial pressure as they struggle to keep up with bills. With limited income, they are often forced to make difficult choices between heating their home and buying enough food. Food banks and community donations have become a vital source of support, but these only partially meet the family’s needs. The children have taken on significant caregiving roles within the family. They help with household tasks, care for their younger siblings, and often support their parents emotionally during difficult times. The increased responsibilities have affected the children’s schooling and social lives, as they frequently miss out on activities and opportunities that their peers enjoy. The parents’ mental health issues and the family’s financial struggles have created a heavy emotional burden on the children. The upcoming Christmas season brings an added layer of stress, as the family cannot afford any gifts or festive treats. The children are aware of the situation and do not expect anything for Christmas, but the parents feel deep guilt about not being able to give them the joy and normalcy that other families can provide during the holidays.

Family D:

A single mother raising three children, all diagnosed with autism. Each child has unique needs. Mum is devoted to her children and does her best to provide for them, but she faces significant challenges in meeting their care needs on her own. Her ability to work is limited due to her full-time caregiving responsibilities, making it difficult to secure a steady income. She relies on government benefits to support her family, but they barely cover essential expenses. She has found herself turning to local food banks regularly to ensure her children have enough to eat. The family’s financial situation has made it challenging to access adequate support services. She also faces difficulties with transportation, as getting her children to appointments and therapy sessions without a reliable vehicle is often overwhelming. Her children require close supervision and thrive on routine, which makes managing the household a complex task. The emotional toll of caregiving, coupled with the financial strain, has left her exhausted and overwhelmed. Despite her best efforts, she feels like she is constantly falling short in providing the level of care her children need. With Christmas approaching, she is deeply saddened that she cannot afford gifts or a festive celebration for her children. She knows that traditional holiday activities can be overstimulating for her children, so she usually creates a quieter, sensory-friendly environment at home. However, the thought of not being able to provide any presents or special treats this year fills her with guilt. She worries about the impact this will have on their happiness and feels helpless in the face of her financial limitations.

God bless you all.

• Featured image: Thought Machine volunteers and West Ham Academy Squad players
• Pictures AAA, Jonny Boux, Paula Blake, Lucy Jenkins, Colin Grainger