Toy Trust

Toy Trust committee chairman Graham Canning reflects on how the industry’s charity supported children in 2020

2020 was certainly no ordinary year and I wanted to share with you a summary of the projects that the Toy Trust supported over the 12 months. Covid-19 made for an extremely challenging time for many UK children’s charities that the Toy Trust supports. Many saw their income severely impacted and, in some cases, completely depleted during the pandemic.

But I’m pleased to report that the Toy Trust committee remained active in 2020 and felt compelled to respond positively. So, we invited small UK children’s charities that were known to us already to apply for funding. We assessed applications carefully in line with the Toy Trust’s application criteria to ensure funds achieved the best possible outcome for disadvantaged children all over the UK through grants given.

The Toy Trust remains active in 2021 and we will shortly be reopening applications for funding, which will be open again to small UK children’s charities. Support for the charities we support would not be possible without you. So on behalf of the Toy Trust committee, thank you.

Here are five stories from five charities that we supported in 2020:

Handicapped Children’s Action Group (HCAG): HCAG has a long waiting list of children requiring trikes, buggies, car seats, wheelchairs and sensory equipment. Covid-19 has depleted its income and priority has been given to children requiring trikes and buggies, since these provide mobility to those who cannot walk. The Toy Trust gave £5,000 to this very well-run charity.

Handicapped Children’s Action Group (HCAG)

NARA The Breathing Charity: NARA chair Ann Jiggle said: “We were delighted to receive the Toy Trust’s wonderful gift of £5,000 in July 2020 to support work being carried out by our UK Child Health Community Care Programme. Offering a simple thank you for your generosity never quite feels enough. You help us to continue to provide and strengthen vital services to children who struggle to breathe. Thank you.” Bag Books: This charity designs and produces multisensory books for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The books are in 94 per cent of special schools and it also trains people in multisensory storytelling techniques. The Toy Trust grant helped Bag Books produce 350 of its handcrafted workbooks. Bradford Toy Library: The Toy Trust supported Bradford Toy Library with a donation of £5,000 to fund a Boredom Buster Bags initiative during lockdowns. Founders Michelle and Emma said: “With help from the Toy Trust, we were able to help families with bags that included food, kitchen essentials and a selection of specialist toys or sensory equipment. Thank you for supporting us and enabling our families to have something to look forward to every week.”

All Hallows Bow

All Hallows Bow: Sara Brayford, fundraising manager at All Hallows Bow, said: “Toy Trust’s support meant we had the resources to provide flexible and Covid-safe support to vulnerable families with young children throughout the changing restrictions. We used our funding to put together 36 story sacks, which we used to run socially distanced play sessions at our centre and lent to families to use at home, with video support from our team when in-person work was no longer possible.”

Inspired to do something for the Toy Trust in 2021? Visit www.toytrust.co.uk to make a donation, view our events or download your own fundraising materials. If you have a fundraising idea of your own, email Matt@btha.co.uk to discuss.

Bradford Toy Library