More Leisure Community Trust has announced the launch of a charity drive, which will see customers and staff at its Mansfield leisure centres collect new, unwrapped toys this Christmas for families facing hardship.

Oak Tree Leisure Centre, Rebecca Adlington Leisure Centre, and Water Meadows Leisure Complex are partnering with the charity Family Action, whose toy appeal last year ensured over 10,000 children, who may have missed out on a gift, had a present under their Christmas tree.

Rresearch from the charity revealed that 1 in 7 (14%) parents/carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their children this Christmas due to financial constraints.

Jack Garner, partnership manager for the trust, said: “We’re very proud to be partnering with Family Action, supporting the amazing work they do all year round to help families throughout the UK. Knowing that 14% of parents/carers are saying they cannot afford presents for their children is a heart-breaking statistic, but you can bank on the generosity of the people who work at and visit our centres. We’ll be going all out to collect as many toys as we can!”

David Holmes, chief executive of Family Action, added: “Every family deserves comfort and joy at Christmas, but with the high costs of food and utilities, many will find their holiday season stressful and difficult, and it does seem, this year, that Christmas magic is in short supply.

“This is where organisations like More Leisure Community Trust come in and we want to thank all of their staff and customers for their extremely generous donations. With their support, more families will have a special gift for their children and together, we can keep the magic of Christmas alive.”

Family Action provides emotional and practical support to over 60,000 families across the UK, all year round, and the charity’s Toy Appeal, part of the annual ‘Make Theirs Magic’ campaign, supports families facing financial difficulty at Christmas.

Toy collection boxes will be in the reception areas of each leisure centre until 11 December. After that date, Family Action will collect all items and distribute them around the UK, bringing some much-needed joy to families facing tough times.

For more details about the toy appeal at More Leisure Community Leisure Trust centres, visit its website: https://www.mansfieldleisure.com/

For customers who would prefer to donate a gift of money rather than a toy, you can do so via the JustGiving page here.

More Leisure Community Trust manages Oak Tree Leisure Centre, Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre and Water Meadows Fitness and Swimming Complex in partnership with Serco Leisure on behalf of Mansfield District Council.