Alfie’s Toy Bank has received a huge donation of toys thanks to the generosity of Bedfordshire children’s charity KidsOut.
The toys donated included soft toys, games, jigsaws, action toys, dolls, books, footballs, craft materials and stationery, Lego and Duplo and outdoor games.
Embrace 100 Club member and corporate supporter Shoplight Ltd came to the rescue too with their driver Tony Lewin making two trips to Bedfordshire to pick up the toys and bring them back to Peterborough.
Chief Executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime Anne Campbell said: “We are so grateful to KidsOut for this wonderful donation of toys for Alfie’s Toy Bank which will go out to children whose lives have been devastated by crime.
“Alfie’s Toy Bank operates like a food bank and enables the children we support to choose a toy, book, game or craft activity for free as part of a package of support to help heal their trauma.
“Often the families we support are doubly disadvantaged because they have been harmed by crime and are also suffering hardship because of what has happened to them. Providing toys and other practical support enables us to bring some joy back into their lives and help them get back on their feet.
“We are also very grateful to our corporate partners Shoplight Ltd for providing the transport to get all the toys back to Peterborough. It took two trips and it now means we have lots of lovely new toys to send to children.”
Sandra Doherty, head of children’s services for KidsOut said: “We are delighted we were able to support Embrace Child Victims of Crime with toys for the children who are affected by domestic abuse. With the stark rise in domestic violence and on top of the cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever that we support these families during these difficult times. The toys provide comfort through this trying change and help them cope with the trauma’s they have faced, giving them something to smile about and treasure for many years to come.”
Often children we support have lost their most cherished toys when they are forced to flee their homes because of the crimes that have happened to them or if they have been seized by police when gathering evidence.
Alfie’s Toy Bank provides gifts for free for children who have suffered all kinds of crimes including abuse, violence and exploitation.
Embrace Child Victims of Crime works with children who have suffered trauma because of crime. They may be grieving the loss of their mum, dad, brother, sister or other family member killed through crime. Some have experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse, violence or exploitation or have been living in a home torn apart by domestic abuse. These children have had to deal with often unimaginable horrors in their young lives and agencies such as the police, social services or support charities refer them to Embrace to get the help and support they need. To find out more about the support Embrace offers visit www.embracecvoc.org.uk.
You can also call our helpline on 0345 60 999 60 from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm.
Kids Out based in Leighton Buzzard was founded in the 1990s to support disadvantaged children across the UK. Initially the charity organised fun days out, but today it also provides toy boxes to children who have been rehoused because of domestic abuse.
