Dori and James declutter their toys for good causes
A SISTER and brother, overloaded with toys, came up with a worthy idea to get rid of them and at the same time do something for charity.
Dori (9) and James (6) Armstrong, from Lisbellaw, decided to sell some of their toys to free up some clutter and they gave all the proceeds to Cancer Research and the Drop Inn Charity Ukraine appeal, with £175 going to each charity.
Explaining how her two children decided to sell their toys, their mother, Tamsin said: “I suppose we kind of talked to them about [the war in] Ukraine because they have seen it on the news and had to explain it. They kind of knew about that going on.
“And then their granny, my mother-in-law, passed away from cancer in July. It was very sudden, and it was only nine weeks from when she was diagnosed until she died, and then I lost my mummy to cancer as well before they were born, 12 years ago.”
After looking at the number of toys they had, the kids came up with their idea.
“James said ‘We should sell our toys’, and Dori said ‘We should give the money to the Cancer Research charity and a Ukraine charity’.
“And that’s what they did. They sorted out their toys themselves – we couldn’t believe it! They gathered them up and they set the prices and we put the video up on Facebook just to advertise them, and people bought them and people gave them donations and things as well.
“That’s how it came about. It was definitely very much all them, to be honest. We are really proud of them, because it was a lovely thought, and they genuinely did come up with it themselves.”
With the money collected from selling dolls, cars, action figures and wrestling figures, it was then off to donate the money.
“The Drop Inn, they have an orphanage in Ukraine [that they support]. My husband and I brought the two kids in, and we let them give the cheque and we said what it was for.
“They said ‘That’s such a lovely thing to do’, because they are trying to support the orphanage in Ukraine, and that money will make a real difference.
“So that was really lovely to hear – kids helping kids.”
And it was also nice for Tamsin to see her kids raise money for a cancer charity so close to her heart.
“After my mummy died, I did some fundraising. I raised about £10,000 for Cancer Research in different activities over a couple of years.
“But it has waned off, so it is nice now the kids are taking over the fundraising.”