Every Child Deserves the Magic of Christmas

Christmas should be a magical time for every child.  But for families facing financial hardship, the cost of Christmas can bring extra worry at a time when there should be excitement, joy and anticipation.  That’s why The Teesside Charity Christmas Toy Appeal is back for 2026.

With the incredible generosity of people, businesses, schools and community organisations across the Tees Valley, we want to help make sure children facing difficult circumstances have a special gift to open on Christmas morning.

And we need your help to make it happen again!

Last year, the generosity of the Tees Valley community helped us provide gifts for more than 3,400 children across the region.  This year, we’re hoping to reach even more children.

🎁 How can you help?

There are lots of ways you can get involved in our Toy Appeal.

Donate a Toy

Choose a new gift for a child aged 0–16 years and help us bring a little Christmas magic to their day. We ask that all gifts are new and unwrapped. You can bring your gift to one of our collection points across the Tees Valley, which will be announced soon

If you would like to donate a toy,  we do also have our Amazon Wishlist with lots of great ideas for gifts for all ages – If you would like to be acknowledged, please do pop a gift receipt into the purchase

All gifts off this list are delivered directly to our team of Santa’s elves to make it easier too

Click here for our Wish list

Get Your Business or Workplace Involved

Christmas is a great time to bring your team together for a good cause.  You could:

• Organise a toy collection in your workplace – we will deliver a special donation box to you.
• Encourage colleagues to donate a gift
• Hold a fundraising event
• Make a financial donation
• Become a collection point
• Choose The Teesside Charity Toy Appeal as your Christmas charity

If you’d like to get your business involved, we’d love to hear from you. please email Rachel on rachel.p@teessidecharity.org.uk

🎅 Become a Christmas Elf

This year we’re also looking for businesses and volunteers to join our team of Christmas Elves.  Our elves will be out across the Tees Valley between 24th and 27th November, collecting donations from businesses, schools and community organisations and bringing them back to our team ready for sorting.

It’s a brilliant way to get involved, meet other supporters and see the Toy Appeal in action.

Want to join our Christmas Elves?   Get in touch by email to rachel@teessidecharity.org.uk.

❤️ Make a Donation

You don’t have to buy a toy to make a difference.  A financial donation allows us to purchase gifts where they’re needed most and helps us make the best use of every donation – The Teesside Charity – Donate now

🎁 What kind of gifts can I donate?

We are looking for gifts suitable for children and young people from birth to 16 years.

0–3 years – Teddies, dolls, rattles, activity toys, musical instruments, stacking toys, shape sorters, bath toys and puzzles.

3–5 years – Dolls, action figures, educational toys and games, toy vehicles, arts and crafts, books and puzzles.

5–9 years – Educational games, books, stationery, sports equipment, remote-control cars, building sets, board games and craft or activity sets.

9–12 years – Board games, books, stationery, model kits, sports equipment and hair accessories.

13–16 years – Books, make-up, headphones, power banks, hair accessories, toiletries, electrical items such as hair dryers and straighteners

Please remember;

🎁 All gifts must be new and please leave gifts unwrapped.

🔋 If your gift needs batteries, please consider including them.

We cannot accept second-hand or used gifts, homemade or knitted items. We also ask supporters not to donate items that require something else for the child to use them.

Together, we can make Christmas magical

The Toy Appeal is only possible because of the incredible generosity of our community.  Whether you donate one gift or one hundred, organise a collection at work, volunteer as one of our Christmas Elves or make a donation, you are helping make Christmas brighter for a child across the Tees Valley. Thank you for helping us bring the magic of Christmas to local children.