Ely’s “overwhelming” response to ‘Santa’s Toy Bank’ has convinced the man who came up with the idea that it should be repeated next Christmas.
Peter Harris praised the support of individuals, church donors, shops, businesses and organisations and said he was deeply moved by the reaction of the families in need who came to the Toy Bank to choose gifts for their children.
“It’s been quite simply overwhelming,” said Peter, a member of City of Ely Council, who came up with the idea after speaking to families who were struggling to afford presents for their children.
Peter enlisted the support of half a dozen friends – who dubbed themselves Santa’s Elves – and St Mary’s Church in Ely which hosted the Toy Bank.
Parents were able to collect gifts on 20th and 21st December. As word spread, Santa’s Elves delivered gifts to families in villages who had been unable to travel to Ely. The final deliveries were on Christmas Eve.
Any remaining toys were shared between EACH (East Anglian Children’s Hospices), the East Anglian Women’s Refuges and the Ely Contact Centre where parents are able to spend time with their children who are in foster care.
Peter said: “I wanted nothing more than to bring joy and happiness to children’s lives at a time when their parents, for one reason or another, are going through challenging times.”
He said he was moved by the King’s Christmas message. “King Charles spoke of his belief in the ‘ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others, and to shine a light in the world around them. This is the essence of our community and the very foundation of our society’.
“The Toy Bank has proved to me, beyond all doubt, that we have here in Ely a pretty special community.”
Press release from Ely’s Santa’s Xmas Toy Bank
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