MORE than 250 children are going to wake up on Christmas Day with a present thanks to the generosity of everyone in west Wiltshire who responded to the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Toy Appeal which has been supported by the Wiltshire Times.

Hundreds of toys and other gifts have been donated to the Salvation Army’s Toy Appeal this year enabling the organisation to give multiple presents to the recipients.

That phenomenal response will help the Salvation Army to give presents to so many more families in need this Christmas, who might otherwise have no gifts to wake up to.

Some of the area’s large supermarket chains and shopping centres provided collection points, and donations poured in from local communities including Hilperton and South Wraxall, as well as church groups and the armed forces.

Michala Lancefield, church leader at The Salvation Army in Trowbridge, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to everybody who supported this year’s Christmas Present Appeal.

“We are so thankful for the wonderful donations of toys and gifts received from the very kind and generous people of Trowbridge and the surrounding areas.

“We are grateful to Morrisons in Warminster and Westbury and Tesco Extra and The Shires in Trowbridge who have acted as collections points.

“Many individuals, families, companies, churches, village communities, the military, and many other organisations have arranged collections and we have been overwhelmed by the response.

“As a result of such generosity and kindness, and the commitment and hard work of our wonderful volunteers, we have been able to support approximately 250 children referred to us by social services who might otherwise have received little or nothing on Christmas morning.

“With your monetary donations, we have been able to supply food vouchers to over 120 families who would be struggling this year.

“On their behalf, we would like to say a very big thank you to all who have supported us and so enabled us to support them.

“We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.”

“We are so thankful for the wonderful donations of toys and gifts received from the very kind and generous people of Trowbridge and the surrounding areas”