Toy appeal across Doncaster collects more than 800 toys for disadvantaged children

The Doncaster community came together to donate 882 gifts to The Salvation Army this Christmas.

Andy Crittenden, from Rossington, is owner of ACMAC Martial Arts gyms that organised the Doncaster Children’s Christmas Toy Appeal 2020.

Andy, aged 40, said: “We have done the toy appeal for the last 10 years but as the gyms have had to be closed this year we decided to widen the scope across the whole town.

“We put together a group on Facebook and set up 14 drop off points across Doncaster.”

Andy was expecting around 200 toys to be donated across the five days that the appeal was running but he was shocked to find four times that amount.

“When we realised how many that we had we had to enlist the help of 10 people to pick up the toys to take them to The Salvation Army,” he said.

“The community spirit that we have felt from the people that got behind us is tremendous.

“It’s really something very special.”

Andy attributes the hard circumstances that 2020 has brought to people as the reason why the toy appeal exceeded his expectations.

He feels that people have been more generous even though they themselves are going through a rough time.

“We’re helping people that have really struggled,” he added.

“The Salvation army estimated that there are 760 children in Doncaster who would be without gifts this year.

“Our donation means that those children will have at least one present to open.”

Andy wants to thank everyone who has taken part in the toy appeal this year.

“For many of us we’ve never woken up on Christmas and been without,” he added.

“It’s something that I want to teach the children who come to my gym at the same time as helping others.

“Many think this is a problem that happens elsewhere but it exists close to home.”

Andy wants to increase the number of toys donated next year up to 2,000 as the appeal has done so well in 2020.

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