The King’s School Toy Bank in Grantham breaks record helping more than 200 children

A school’s toy bank shop has broken records in its ninth year of running.

Nearly 3,000 gifts were donated to 219 children in Grantham from The King’s School Toy Bank, which was based in 71 High Street.

This was a record-breaking year for the toy bank, making it the highest number of children helped and presents donated.

Assistant headteacher Nathan Whales, who oversees the project, said: “The number of donations and levels of support from the community have been overwhelming.

“Whilst this is a sad reflection of the growing need within the community, the boys have been incredibly hard working and are so proud that their efforts have enabled donations to 219 children.

“We are indebted to Buckminster Estates for allowing us the use of the premises to run the charity.

“Tony Ruby and Ross Bingham have been amazing with their mobile collection service and Jay Price, of Price and Sons Funeral Directors, has been an incredibly busy donation station for us again.

“We also received support from Sy Shaw at Harrowby Heating, and The Garden Yard for donations and are so grateful to all who donated.”

Each child who received gifts from the shop got three small gifts, two medium gifts and one large gift.

Parents were also able to take a couple of cuddly toys, a selection of books and two rolls of wrapping paper.

Nathan added: “We were so pleased to be able to donate gifts to two little girls who have been taken into temporary care this winter.

“We are also so overwhelmed when we receive feedback from parents such as ‘this is absolutely amazing news, this will make my children over the moon on Christmas day’.”

Any toys left over have been donated to the Grantham Disabled Children’s Society and some have been donated to local primary schools.

More than 30 pupils were involved in the shop, either running it, taking on leadership roles, learning shop management skills, and logistics and media roles.