THE HUGELY successful Redditch Christmas Toy Appeal has received official recognition from the High Sheriff of Worcestershire for the impact it has made on struggling local families.
Charles Moyle told a special gathering at St John’s Church in Greenlands on Sunday how the appeal had this year helped more than 600 local children and their parents, and in one case might even have prevented someone taking their own life.
He said: “The Make Christmas Special Toy Appeal has grown into a shining example of community co-operation and the power of collective action spearheaded by the Redditch Mission Area comprising of 12 Anglican churches.
“The appeal has blossomed into a beacon of hope, touching the lives of countless families in challenging circumstances during the festive season.
“The appeal recognises that every child deserves to experience the wonder and the joy of Christmas regardless of their background.”
The driving force behind the appeal has been St Stephen’s church warden Elaine Whitfield and acknowledging her contribution he presented her with a High Sheriff Award and a special medal.
The four strong team of church lay workers, who helped run the appeal, were also recognised with their own High Sheriff Award.
Elaine said: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this award, but it is not just for me – it’s a testament to the collective effort and commitment to making a real difference in our community.”
Guests at the gathering included Borough Mayor Coun Juma Begum and Redditch Borough Council leader Joe Baker, who said: “It’s always lovely to support the Redditch Christian community.
“They do a huge amount of good work in our town – the Christmas Toy Appeal is an amazing event and we should all be encouraged to support it and similar ventures so we can make Redditch a fantastic place to live for all its diverse communities.”
Born three years ago, the Christmas Toy Appeal is organised by the Revitalising Redditch group of local churches and headed up by Elaine.
Since its inception it has been backed by the Redditch Standard newspaper.
