pic: ELBA

An East London charity has celebrated their most successful toy appeal ever, with over £70,000 worth of toys donated throughout the festive season.

The annual appeal by the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) had a record-breaking year due to a last minute donation of over 1,000 toys from Barclays bank on the December 21.

Angela Large, centre manager at Ivy Street Family Centre in Hackney, said: “It’s been fantastic to be a recipient of the toy appeal for the last four to five years. It has made both parents and children very happy.”

ELBA, which facilitates corporate investment in community programmes, distributed the majority of the toys in time for Christmas parties during December, though the last minute donation meant many more children across east London benefited from the appeal.

Over the course of the appeal, staff from 30 different companies based in the City and Canary Wharf donated toys for children in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham.

Jane Daniels, community investment project manager at HSBC, said: “I am really pleased with the 331 toys and £230 worth of John Lewis gift vouchers donated by HSBC employees.”

ELBA told Eastlondonlines that more donors are using online gift lists and the value of the toys is going up year by year. With over 6,400 toys donated this year, ELBA hopes to break yet another record next year.