By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 14:36, Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Our toy pile is growing and there are still a few days left to give to a gift to News & Star Christmas Toy Appeal.

Denise Davis, Liz Bowen, Harriet Douglas and Helen at Boots, Carlisle

Boots in Carlisle is the latest place to add its name to a list of drop-off points for people to deliver presents for children who might otherwise face a bleak Christmas.

Our staff will be gathering all the gifts in on Friday to get them to Santa’s grotto and say they have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people across north and west Cumbria.

We’ve had several hundred gifts, including bikes, a keyboard, scooters and skateboards, teddies, soft toys and puzzles. Barbies, Lego and Meccano are also favourites, plus children’s Vtech laptops.

Collection points across north and west Cumbria have been set up at supermarkets, in stores and newsagents’ shops for people to drop off presents until Saturday.

Kelly Barlow, promotions executive with Cumbrian Newspapers, said our readers’ and advertisers’ response to the appeal had been truly moving.

All we ask is that you buy an extra gift – more if you can – for a child aged between infancy and 18 – and drop it off, unwrapped, at a collection point where you see our poster. You can leave the rest to us.

The News & Star Toy Appeal is running in conjunction with Cash For Kids Mission Christmas. We will ensure all gifts are wrapped and distributed to children who may not otherwise have a gift to open.

The deadline for donations to the News & Star Toy Appeal is Saturday. Once the deadline has closed the toys will be distributed.

A full list of drop-off points can be found on our Christmas Toy Appeal web page.

First published at 14:31, Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk