Toy appeal response has been fantastic
Hundreds of top-quality toys and gifts have been flooding into the Salvation Army in Paisley.
The church has been working in conjunction with the Paisley Daily Express Toy Appeal to bring some festive cheer to less fortunate families in the area who can’t afford to buy presents for their youngsters.
And this week the Salvation Army Hall in Mill Street is open to receive items from readers, members of the public and businesses who want to help.
The Salvation Army’s Major Cora Joy Tucker said the military-style operation to receive and sort the toys was well under way.
“It’s been going very well,”she said yesterday. “We had quite a few people in yesterday. “As usual, very generous. “And people have also handed in monetary donations, which we used to buy toys.
“So if we run out of an age group, then we’ve got the money there to go and buy things.
“We shopped for quite a few older children and we already had people in saying they went specially and got gifts for teenagers. “So, that’s excellent.” There is still very much a need for donations of toys and gifts, with more than 1,200 referrals made last year through Social Work and other organisations.
“The application forms are coming in from all the support workers and it appears that there are still families in need out there.
“Applications are arriving in daily, but last year we processed between 1,200 and 1,500.”
The Salvation Army’s soldiers and church member volunteers set out the gifts according to age group, and these are then bagged up unwrapped for distribution through various agencies in time for Christmas.
Wrapping of the presents is down to the parents who receive them.
“We had gifts from a church toy service yesterday and they had a huge big bagful of wrapping paper and bags along with their toys. That was excellent, and we give these out with the toys,”Major Tucker said.
One of the people helping with sorting the toys is Salvation Army soldier Susan Niven.
She said:“I don’t know what it is at the moment, but we are finding in everything we are doing that people are really giving.
“I don’t know if it’s Paisley 2021 but people definitely want to give.”
Mrs Niven, 66, from Paisley, added that it was sad that people needed help to buy presents for their children at Christmas.
“But it does happen and at least we are trying to answer that need,”she said.
Gibson Neeson, 72, from Paisley, is also helping out.
“Being a members of the Salvation Army you like to do your bit for underprivileged kids,”he said. “I’ve done this for a few years. “As Susan says, it’s dreadful you’ve got to do it, but the folks in Paisley and surrounding areas are so generous.
“From cash donations to toys, it’s been terrific.”
The Salvation Army Hall, in Mill Street, will be open up to tomorrow,from 10am to 4pm ,to receive gifts and cash donations.
Please remember that gifts must be new and unwrapped.
Please do not hand then in to the Paisley Daily Express office.