To help put a smile on children’s faces this International Play Day (7th August), ScS has announced it is donating hundreds of toys to a range of deserving charities across the nation.
The sofa and carpet specialist, ScS, is calling on Beckton residents to visit its local store, situated in Beckton Triangle Retail Park to vote for which of the following local charities they would like to receive this fantastic donation; Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity or Richard House Children’s Hospice.
Voting opens on International Play Day, which celebrates the importance of imaginative play in children’s lives and will close on Saturday 31st August.
The chosen charity will receive a bumper delivery of fun and interactive toys to help bring happiness to hundreds of deserving youngsters, including items like Lego, creative art and crafts supplies, puzzle and card games, toy dolls and action figures, as well as sensory toys.
David Knight, CEO of ScS said: “We are proud to support our local community and as a business it is incredibly important to us that we give back and contribute to local projects. It is our absolute pleasure to be delivering toys during the summer holidays and helping hundreds of children to enjoy play time.
“We want to offer local people the chance to nominate the charity that will benefit from our Big Toy Bonanza. Simply vote in store throughout August and let us know which local cause you would like to support. We can’t wait to welcome everyone into store as well as help create a little summer holiday magic.”
Oonagh Goodman, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, said: “We are very grateful that ScS has invited Rainbow Trust to participate in this campaign, to bring gifts to vulnerable families at a time when their world has been turned upside down. The toys donated from the Big Toy Bonanza will help Rainbow Trust to bring smiles to families and make the most of the precious time they have together.”
Carol Butwell, Social, Therapeutic & Resource (STaR) Team Manager at Richard House Children’s Hospice said: “We encourage families to use our facilities and resources so they can play in a safe environment and reduce isolation. Toys bring a much-needed resource to the hospice for children staying in the residential unit and for families and siblings when they come to use the facilities.
“When staff use a board game or use a toy with a user, this can often open up discussions about their life and cares enabling support to be given or them being signposted on to other organisations or therapists. A variety of resources encourages choice making and sharing skills as well as a way to express oneself whether the child is a user or sibling. Above all some fun and opportunity to try different toys that the family may not have at home, to be able to find what they like/dislike and can encourage role play.”
For more information on the Big Toy Bonanza, please visit www.scs.co.uk/lifestyle/toybonanza.
Caring for a seriously ill child can be extremely traumatic, demanding, and isolating for parents and healthy brothers and sisters. Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has eight teams of dedicated Family Support workers around the country that offer tailored support for the whole family, from their child’s diagnosis, during treatment and, if needed, through bereavement and beyond, for as long as the family needs.
Richard House Children’s Hospice provides 24-hour specialist care and support for babies, children and young adults who have life-shortening, life-limiting or complex health conditions such as heart failure, muscular dystrophy and cancer and offer support for the whole family. Alongside the company’s key services of respite, palliative and end of life care, they also provide holistic services such as music, dance, movement and art therapy, multi-sensory play, family activities, outings and bereavement support.
Richard House is the only children’s hospice in East London and have provided care to children with life-limiting conditions and their families for 20 years. Their services have been available free of charge to around 300 families each year across London. Each year, the Hospice supports approximately 300 families from disadvantaged backgrounds in East London caring for children with life-limiting conditions. – Chris Williams, Head of Community & Events.
