A LITTLE generosity can go a long way at Christmas, as I was - unexpectedly - reminded of recently.

For a number of years now, we at the News & Star has supported Cash For Kids’ Mission Christmas campaign through our annual toy appeal.

And we’ve heard through this great charity and its network of contacts about the very real impact that you - our readers - make by donating gifts, whether it be a physical toy or cash, to the appeal.

The human impact of the appeal struck home to me on a personal level recently.

I was speaking to someone who I had never met before and we were chatting about where each other worked.

As I mentioned I worked for the News & Star, the woman told me she had a lot to be thankful to the newspaper - or, more accurately, our readers - for.

She explained to me that a couple of years ago she had found herself and her young family running into difficulties and that Christmas was going to be a struggle. She was genuinely worried that her two young children - then still at primary school and desperate to enjoy all of the festive season’s fun - would have no presents to open on Christmas morning.

Fortunately she was pointed in the direction of Cash For Kids.

Its dedicated team ensured a bag of gifts for her children that Christmas.

This gesture made all the difference at was a remarkably difficult time for the family.

“Without the generosity of News & Star readers, there may not have been any presents for my children,” she told me.

As a parent myself, the thought of any child waking up on Christmas morning with nothing to open is a heartbreaking one.

That’s why we continue to support Cash For Kids through the toy appeal; to make a difference and help put smiles on as many faces as possible on December 25.

Mission Christmas is a remarkable cause. Sara Oldham and Katie Jones, who lead the work at CFM, work tirelessly with their band of helpers to deliver as much festive cheer as they can.

I’ve seen them at work in their warehouse, bagging up toys and making sure they get to those who need them most.

It is a great effort, involving amazing people, making a magical difference at what should be the most wonderful time of the year.

Over the past five years the toy appeal - with the support of listeners of CFM and readers of the News & Star - has helped 33,004 children across the region.

That is a staggering number.

Please, if you can, help that figure grow further this year and - if you can afford it - buy one extra toy when doing your Christmas shopping and leave it at one of our network of drop-off points before December 17, although branches of B&M Stores will take donations until January 6 to support any emergency applications.

Drop-off points include:

Carlisle

n Carlisle College, Victoria Place

n Tourist Information Centre, Old Town Hall, City Centre

n Carlisle City Council, Civic Centre, Rickergate

n B&M, St Nicholas Gate, English Street, Wigton Road

n Newsquest Cumbria, Dalston Road

n Cumberland Building Society, Cumberland House

n Cumberland Building Society, The Square, Dalston

Workington

n Amcor Flexibles, Salterbeck

n Hays Travel, Workington

n Lakes College West Cumbria, Lillyhall

n Hills of Corby Hill Lts, Lillyhall

n The Pointe of Dance, South William Street

n Bensons for Beds, Derwent Howe Industrial Estate

n Cumbria Travel, Dunmail Park

Whitehaven

n MokyFit with Shameem, Egremont

n Cavendish Nuclear, Moor Row

n Cumberland Building Society, Cleator Moor

n Cumberland Building Society, Egremont

n Cumbria Travel, King Street

Penrith

n Cumbria Police, Penrith

n Newcastle Building Society, Market Square

n Argos, Common Garden Square

For more details, go to www.newsandstar.co.uk or planetradio.co.uk/cfm/charity/events/mission-christmas-cumbria/