The toy drive needs your help

New England Toy Drive organiser Luke Fahy has called on the community to donate to his toy drive to help those in need.

“This year numbers are a little bit down compared to last year, I’m hoping that in the next couple of weeks we can have a bit of a surge,” he said.

“We’ve filled up one truck, last year we filled up four.”

The toy drive is in its second year and the idea was to give local children a happier Christmas.

“It was last year that we started and it was just an idea to get some toys happening for local kids,” he said.

“Last year there were toys delivered as far as Walgett.

“The toys will be delivered anywhere where there’s a kid in need.”

The toys will be donated to Saint Vincent De Paul in trucks donated by Forty Winks.

“They need to be thanked for that because it’s a really great donation,” Mr Fahy said.

Mr Fahy said the toy drive is in desperate need of wrapping paper, but is also accepting toys, bikes, board games and more.

“As long as it’s good quality, so long as it’s not broken, anything that a kid would enjoy,' he said.

Mr Fahy said there are a lot of families in the region that often suffer in silence at Christmas time.

“There’s a lot of people that are struggling in this community, and under our noses they’re struggling,” he said.

“Last year I know that the feedback from Vinnies was fantastic because there was a lot of people that were reduced to tears when they get these hampers of gifts for their kids and there is a lot of people that need them.

“There’s a silent epidemic in the community, it’s not the kids’ fault so that’s why they should be the ones to get the toys and benefits.”

Toy donations can be taken to the Hutchinson and Harlow office, the Armidale Express office, Forty Winks, Apsley Motors in Walcha and Ray White Rural in Guyra.

Mr Fahy asks that donations be sent prior to December 9, those that come afterward will go toward next year’s toy drive.