The woman helping 'forgotten children' at Christmas

An 84-year-old woman whose toy donation scheme has grown to help thousands hopes it shows disadvantaged children that "Father Christmas has not forgotten them".

Joyce Whitt was one of the original organisers of the Great Notts Christmas Toy Appeal in 1972.

She had just adopted an eight-week-old baby through a charity she volunteered for, and realised there were many other children who needed help.

In their first year she, her husband and some friends personally dropped off toys to 100 homes, but this year they expect to reach more than 2,000 children across Nottinghamshire.

Preparations take all year, and Joyce said she received her first donation on 2 January.

"My porch is never closed," she said.

"I've got a friend who texts me at the end of September asking me if it's time to do my Christmas shopping.

"She hasn't any family of her own but she likes to think she can do some good."

Joyce added: "When the children open the presents, I think sometimes it's the first time they've realised Father Christmas has not forgotten them, that someone does care about them.

"Hopefully they will grow up into strong young citizens who will remember this and do something in turn for someone else."

The donations of new toys, as well as toiletries and selection boxes, go to children and their carers identified as in need with the help of agencies like the NHS.

They are sorted by 20 volunteers over three days in the first week of December.

Nick Clark, 61, from Carlton in Nottinghamshire, now runs the charity.

He said demand had "gone through the roof" in the eight years he had been in charge because of the pressures on families.

"The difference we make is we get to places that probably wouldn't otherwise be reached.

"Last year we tried to put a Christmas tree into every room in the women's refuges we serve and to make sure if a mother and child turned up on Christmas Eve they'd wake up to find they'd not been forgotten.

"That's the same for children wherever they are, whether they're the children of immigrants or single-parent families... we will find them out and make sure Santa visits on Christmas Eve and they get something to wake up to," he added.

Joyce has taken a step back from organising, but still comes to help every year.

"We come together as friends now, everybody knows each other and the love and laughter we get out of it, it's fun, and that's why we do it.

"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without this for me," she said.

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