Toy Appeal moves into vital stage as quiz night breaks record

The Community Links and Newham Recorder Christmas Toy Appeal is now moving up a gear , as we move into the last few vital weeks of the campaign.

Almost 4,000 toys have already been donated, but we still need another 14,000 to ensure no child losing out at this special time of year.

The appeal got another boost this week as the annual quiz night was staged.

And a new name will be inscribed on the Maureen Allen trophy.

Newham Blips, who have won for the past four years, were beaten into second place by the Kentish Town Knights, who scored 100 points, five ahead of the Blips.

It was the fifth year, but first win, for the five-strong team of architects.

We’re very happy,” said team member Graeme Sutherland. “We’re glad we’ve beaten Newham Blips.”

The team have strong connections with Community Links, having carried out work for them in the past.

The quiz saw £3,150 raised by the 16 tables, the most ever collected at the annual event. The figure included by an anonymous four-figure donation. Bur even without that it would have been the most successful ever.

And adding the £250 now raised by myself during my sponsored swim , it meant a major boost for the appeal.

My team, the Rise Park Rejects, making our 39^th appearance (36 as the Recorder Rockets), finished joint eighth. We had won a quiz five days earlier, and have won the Toy Appeal quiz seven times in the past, so can’t be too greedy. And a team of Newham Recorder reporters, who also took part at the charity’s Canning Town headquarters, finished in tenth place.

• Talented performers from the Deborah Day Theatre School will be performing A Winter Wonderland at Brampton Manor School, East Ham, on Sunday December 13. The show starts at 2pm, and will sing young people entertain through song and dance. Tickets cost just £10 for adults and £5 for concessions. Tickets are available at the door or from Community Links in advance . Phone 07860 487727 or you can buy tickets from the information desk at Brampton Primary School.
• Pictured: The winners get their trophy from Toy Appeal patron and Links’ Freeman Colin Grainger

Pictures: Colin and Lesley Grainger