Children’s Chanukah lit up by Norwood’s Toy Sweep
There was an atmosphere of feverish excitement at Toys R Us in Hendon on Sunday 25 November as more than 40 children from across Norwood’s services joined with staff members and parents to take part in the annual Toy Sweep, organised by the Toy Sweep Committee. Committee members had spent the past year raising £4,000 through a number of events, including a charity film screening, a Ladies Bridge & Kalooki Lunch and a Ladies Shopping Day.
In one action-packed hour on Sunday morning, all of this money was spent on games, cds, dvds, art materials, books and toys that had been specifically requested by a number of Norwood’s services, including the charity’s three Children & Family Centres, its respite care home Buckets and Spades Lodge and Ravenswood Village, its residential community in Berkshire for people with a learning disability.
On the day, committee members performed the role of ‘trolley dollies’, racing round the store with the children to pick up the goodies. On top of this, each child who attended the Toy Sweep was given a £10 voucher to buy their Chanukah gift of choice and had the opportunity to meet the Toys R Us mascot, Jeffrey the Giraffe. Lauren Richards, who attends Unity, Norwood’s recreational, play and youth service in Redbridge, made a speech thanking the Toy Sweep Committee for making the day possible.
Liora Dryer is one of the parents who attended the event. She said: "I am delighted to be here today at the Toy Sweep. My daughter attends the Rainbow group at the Kennedy Leigh Centre, where she can interact and have fun with other children. I would like to thank the Toy Sweep Committee for organising such a unique and special day."
Debra Kleinman, Chairman of the Toy Sweep Committee, said: "The committee has organised the Toy Sweep for ten years. For the past 12 months we have worked hard to raise the funds to spend at today’s event, which has been another great success. We are delighted that these gifts will continue to benefit many deserving children across Norwood’s services for years to come.”
For further information please contact David Wosner, Public Relations Officer at Norwood on 020 8420 6942 or email david.wosner@norwood.org.uk
