Pharmacy helps out children in poverty

MORE than 100 books, puzzles, games and toiletries were donated for children living in poverty this Christmas by a Portsmouth pharmacy.

Staff at social action collective HIVE Portsmouth were delighted to receive a donation from Lalys Pharmacy, which is supporting Mission Christmas, the UK’s largest annual Christmas toy appeal organised by the charity Cash for Kids.

Baldev Laly, director of Lalys Pharmacy, said: ‘In our work, we often see families who are struggling for a wide variety of reasons, so being able to take away any guilt or embarrassment over not being able to provide a present seems very much what Christmas is all about.’

In addition to the donation from the business itself, all four branches of Lalys Pharmacy at London Road in North End, Kingston Road in Fratton, Fawcett Road in Southsea and Guildhall Walk are collecting donations of new and unwrapped games and toys from customers and patients for the collection.