10/02/2026
ACE Christmas Toy Drive - Impact Statement 2025
This Christmas marked the 8th year of the ACE Christmas Toy Drive, and once again, it showed just how powerful kindness and community can be.
Thanks to the support of our donors and partners, we were able to provide over 500 children with Christmas gifts, with every child receiving a minimum of three brand-new toys. In total, 230 families were supported, including low-income families, refugee families, families in crisis, and those affected by domestic abuse.
For many parents, Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. Families told us they didnโt know how they were going to manage, how they would explain to their children why there were no presents, or how they would make Christmas feel special at all.
Because of this toy drive, children woke up to gifts under the tree, excitement, and memories theyโll carry with them.
Families told us:
โI am immensely grateful for the gifts for the children.โ
โBecause of you, I am looking forward to Christmas.โ
โItโs going to be an awesome Christmas. Thank you.โ
โWow! I wouldnโt have been able to afford the presents my children have receivedโฆ this has helped to make their Christmas.โ
โMy children were so happy with their gifts!โ
One parent shared how much the support meant at home:
โA friend had given me a Christmas tree with all the decorations but we didnโt have any gifts under the treeโฆ when I received these giftsโฆ I put them under the tree for them to see in the morningโฆ they were sooo happy and super excited.โ (Refugee family)
Another family told us:
โYour toys have helped toward the childhood Iโm desperate to give them.โ
And another parent said:
โThis kind gesture you are doing really, really helped my kidsโฆ they was so happy with what they had received and it made such a difference.โ
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What makes ACE different is how this work happens.
The entire Christmas Toy Drive is 100% volunteer-run. For three months of the year, volunteers come together to plan, collect, sort, wrap, and distribute gifts โ all alongside jobs, families, and other commitments.
We donโt have a formal office, venue, or storage space. Every location we use, every hour given, and every helping hand comes from people offering what they can. We rely completely on community kindness to make the campaign possible.
All gifts provided are brand new, carefully chosen, and typically valued between ยฃ10โยฃ20 each, because every child deserves something special โ not leftover, not second best.
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Parents repeatedly told us how much it helped them financially, emotionally, and practically:
โItโs been a massive help for me since Iโve been on my own on the financial cost of Christmas.โ
โ(ACE) helped a lot with making my sonโs first Christmas memorable.โ
โThe excitement and joy on my childrenโs facesโฆ is something I will never forget.โ
โIt brought them so much happiness and helped our Xmas feel special.โ
โThank you so much, the gifts were amazingโฆ itโs so appreciated.
These messages are the real impact of the toy drive: relief for parents, dignity for families, and joy for children.
This work is only possible because of donors and partners who believe no child should miss out on Christmas.
Thank you for being part of this. You didnโt just give toys - you helped give families a Christmas.
