Wilmslow rotary club have launched a Christmas toy appeal called RotaToy which can be described as like a "shoebox".

They have done this for many years with the help of local schools, nurseries and the public at large.

Every year the club deliver empty RotaToy Boxes to a number of local organisations for children to fill with new and preloved toys for other local children in need.

They then check the contents to ensure they are age appropriate and deliver them to local charities such as the Tree of Life (in Wythenshawe) and a charity for families who are victims of domestic abuse.

The charities hand them out to children who would otherwise have nothing or very little at Christmas time.

The club describe it as "A box full of smiles from a child to a child"

Ian Bradley said: "Many Rotary clubs are involved with various local, national or international gift schemes at Christmas time. We identified a need within our local area so started our own scheme probably about 10 years ago now.

"The aim is very much a gift from a young person to another young person and we get a great response working with a number of organisations such as nurseries (Pepperberry and House of Rompa), schools (Alderley Edge School for Girls) and other organisations such as Handforth Youth Centre."

"The Department of Work and Pensions estimates that around 4 million children currently live in poverty in the UK (when a child is living in a family with an income below 60 per cent of the UK's average). This is 27 per cent of all children.

"Barnardo's has estimated 63 per cent are in a family where someone works whereas the Child Poverty Action Group has estimated 75 per cent."

"Many children will not get much if anything for Christmas so we try to do something about that."

They are always looking for more people to get involved with what they do and you can find out how to get involved HERE.

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