Daybreak’s Toy Box appeal is asking members of the public to donate new, unopened gifts to the specially marked trolleys in Toys “R” Us stores, which will then be distributed to hospices in the UK.
And for every toy collected at the Daybreak’s Toy Box, Toys “R” Us will donate £1 to the ITV Text Santa Appeal which will benefit six charities, including the national hospice charity, Help the Hospices.
Children who use hospices, as well as their siblings, will benefit from the donations, but toys are also used in adult hospices by children visiting terminally ill relatives for play activities and as part of bereavement counselling.
The daily breakfast show has put the spotlight firmly on the need for hospice care, broadcasting live from different hospices throughout the week-long appeal.
Celebrities and politicians have also got behind the cause; from boy band Union J’s ‘toy dash’, which saw toy donations from Prime Minister, David Cameron and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to Colleen Nolan’s emotional interview on the Daybreak sofa, describing the “home from home” that was created for her sister Bernie Nolan at Trinity Hospice in Blackpool.
Daybreak presenters, Aled Jones and Lorraine Kelly, introduced the appeal on Monday, asking the public to give to a “very special cause.” Both are patrons of hospices themselves and emphasised the high level of funding hospices require each year, just to remain open.
Live broadcasts by TOWIE star, Mark Wright, were accompanied by emotive short films that offered viewers an understanding of how their toy donation would benefit children who use hospices.
One such film told Frank’s story.
Frank is a five-year-old boy who has Batten’s disease – a degenerative, life-limiting illness that means he can no longer walk or speak, and according to his mother “will probably be blind by the time he is six-years-old.”
Frank and his family attend Shooting Star CHASE Hospice in Hampton and benefit hugely from the sensory toys available. Speaking on the programme, Frank’s mother said she “wants to make everyday full of fun.”
Siblings were also highlighted as an important part of the appeal.
Ellie Green has been visiting Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough for three years while her brother Sam enjoys the respite care.
Speaking live on Daybreak, she said that Rainbows Hospice allows her “spend time with her mum” or just “hang around with people in the same situation.”
The appeal will continue until Monday 25 November.
For a suggested list of toys and the full terms and condition, visit the Daybreak website.
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