INSIDE a Carlisle warehouse, a real-life Santa's workshop is ensuring thousands of children can enjoy the magic of Christmas.

It's a place where it's impossible not to truly recognise the significance of the season in bringing families together and spreading a little joy.

And it's where the importance of the News & Star Christmas Toy Appeal really hits home.

The space at Arco, on the Kingstown Industrial Estate, has once again been turned into the nerve-centre for a massive festive operation.

Every day, hundreds of gifts are being packed into sacks ready to be handed out in time for Christmas.

Many of them have been donated by readers of the News & Star through the toy appeal or through CFM radio's Mission Christmas campaign.

It's all in support of the Cash For Kids charity.

Through a trusted network of contacts, it is ensuring that thousands of children who might otherwise go without have something to open on Christmas morning.

That's quite clearly a big motivating factor for those who volunteer to help in the warehouse to put the packages together.

Every day, they're handling hundreds of toys, bundling up the most appropriate for those form whom the seasonal support is critical.

Spend even just a short amount of time in the warehouse and you quickly get a sense of the scale of the operation and how important it is to so many.

Every day since early November charity manager and charity executive of CFM's Cash for Kids, Katie Jones and Sara Oldham, and their team of elves have sorted and distributed presents at Arco.

Sara has praised Arco for its continued support in letting them use the warehouse to pack and distribute toys.

She said: "Arco have pulled out all the stops again this year.

"They've been amazing and they're so supportive."

Charities, schools and support groups make applications for presents for children they know will otherwise wake up on Christmas morning with no presents to open.

Safety Net, Unity drug and alcohol service, Barnado's, local councils and schools, and Eden Family Support are just some of the agencies who apply for presents.

In just one day alone, Sara and her elves completed more than 30 applications, packing sacks full of toys. Demand varies with each application and I was there to see this all first hand.

Each child gets three presents so there is a constant need for new donations. It really was eye-opening to see the support that many people in our communities need.

At the moment there is a serious shortage of presents for older boys aged nine to 18 and older girls aged nine to 18. The piles were looking empty.

Sara has asked for people to go back to basics when shopping and adding something to their baskets for the appeal.

She said: "Think about smellies, clothes, hair vouchers, books. Anything that you think an older boy or girl would like.

"We're also very short of selection boxes and sweets which make great gifts."

The team rely on their band of volunteers to help them sort, pack and distribute toys to disadvantaged children in the area.

I was able to become an elf for the day and help out.

Until you become a volunteer - even for the shortest amount of time – you do not realise the hard work and dedication that goes into ensuring every child gets a Christmas to remember.

For weeks leading up to Christmas you see the Mission Christmas appeal branded everywhere you go.

I found it both educational and emotional working with Sara and her team of elves, learning just how many children in our area are disadvantaged and would go without a Christmas if it wasn't for the hard work of Cash For Kids.

The last day you can donate toys is Friday. After this, Sara and her volunteers will continue their hard work packaging up toys to be distributed to young children until December 21.

The impact you can have

MAKING even the smallest of donations to the News & Star Christmas Toy Appeal and Mission Christmas can make a massive difference to a family this Christmas.

Last year, a staggering 7,888 children were given gifts. The value of those presents was an eye-watering £512,000.

Each gift pack delivered to those youngsters - made up of donations given - averaged £65.

One mum dropping a gift off at a collection point told us: "I'm able to give something this year, but a couple of years ago my family was one that received packages from Cash For Kids. I was so grateful.

"We suddenly found ourselves unable to cope with the cost of Christmas. Getting these packages was such a relief. It meant the children had something to open. For us, Santa had really been."

nText a cash donation by sending CFM to 70808. For more details about the appeal, go to www.newsandstar.co.uk or cfmradio.com/mission