A Christmas toy bank charity has made the switch to cash-only donations in a bid to curb costs.
South Ayrshire Christmas Toy Bank have helped over 6,000 kids in need since starting in 2019 and this year will see many more smiles on faces as youngsters across the region wake up on Christmas Day with gifts to open.
The charity, who operate via a formal referral system, have streamlined their services to accept cash only donations via PayPal or bank transfer. The group will no longer be accepting toy donations.
Aileen Quigley, from SACTB, said refining the charity in this way allows them to help more children across South Ayrshire.
She said: “We’re collecting cash for a lot of different reasons; mainly so we’re not spending on storage, expenses, fuel, insurances- all these costs which suddenly creep in when you start doing something good.
“We’re trying to make sure that we can maximise the amount of money that is going to the kids rather than at the petrol tanks, and companies who store things for us.
“We think in our second and third years we took in around 70,000 items, so you can imagine having to sort all those items, get them out to schools etc; the sheer money and resources that goes into that is incredible.
“Plus there’s the environmental consciousness, of not driving around pumping fumes into the environment.”
Aileen said adding cash donations only was “new territory” and the charity weren’t sure how people would respond, but has found that this modernised way of working is “suiting the way that people shop.”
She said: “We were worried about how it would work out because people love to buy toys, but we’re finding that people are enjoying doing this because it’s dead easy.
“They just scan the QR code and they can donate straight via PayPal or bank account.
“This is our fourth year running and up until now we’ve helped over 6,000 kids and we don’t send a penny outside of South Ayrshire- everything stays in this area.
“It started off as a wee group of women saying ‘what can we do to help?’ and now we’re running a service which we can’t stop.
“It’s an absolute essential thing; schools rely on us.”
SACTB still have one drop off point at South Ayrshire Foodbank, who they work in partnership with.
And last month, Coylton Primary P5 pupils Cameron Quigley and Callum McCreath spent their day off helping take 120 pairs of pyjamas, 20 hot water bottles and toys to the foodbank.
Aileen addded: “They would have sat and played Xbox all day so they were away doing some good and doing something valuable on that day off so it’s brilliant.
“The Toy Bank are delighted to be able to donate the items and it really helps to catch people who are receiving food from the foodbank as they can ask parents what kind of help they need. It’s a great system.”
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