Mark Wright brings festive cheer with Daybreak s Toybox appeal

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This November, Daybreak is bringing some festive cheer with Daybreak's ToyBox' charity appeal. Launched by Mark Wright this morning on the ITV breakfast programme, ToyBox', part of ITV's Text Santa, asks viewers to donate new toys to be given to children with life limiting conditions across the country.

Hoping to put a smile on faces this Christmas, viewers will be asked to give new toys in specially marked collection trolleys in Toys R' Us stores nationwide which will go to the Help the Hospices charity.

Mark Wright said; Daybreak's Toy Box appeal is a great way of giving a little Christmas treat to those in hospices across the holiday season. Whether it's a small toy, or a larger gift, it will certainly bring some festive cheer .

Help the Hospices supports more than 200 UK Hospices. Toys and other play equipment are widely used in children's hospices for children with life-limiting conditions and their siblings, as well as by nurses providing hospice care to children in their own homes. In addition, toys are also used in adult hospices by children visiting terminally ill relatives for play activities and as part of bereavement counselling.

They can include sensory toys such as those that light up or create sounds, balls, play mats, instruments for music therapy and creative arts and crafts materials.

Maxine Trotter, Director of Fundraising at Help the Hospices said:

Christmas looks set to arrive early at our hospices this year as a result of the Toy Box appeal and we are delighted to have been selected for this. We hope Daybreak viewers will be inspired to get into the Christmas spirit of giving early before the festive season gets under way.

A Daybreak/One Poll survey has revealed that even though nearly two thirds of us have donated to a hospice through other means including money and time, only 14% have donated toys - highlighting the importance of Daybreak's Toybox appeal.

It also revealed that nearly one in three of us did not know that hospices fund the large majority of their work through donations - this again outlining the difference Toybox will make to raising awareness for these invaluable services.

Across the week Daybreak's Toybox appeal will be visiting hospices around the country, as well as hearing from celebrities who have had experience of loved ones benefiting from the unrelentless services of hospices. Union J will also be dashing around their celebrity friends collecting toys to donate to the appeal which we'll see on screen on Wednesday.

Daybreak's Toybox - 18th - 22nd November 2013, ITV, weekdays, 6am-8.30am. www.itv.com/daybreak

Note to Editors:

Toys can only be donated via the "Daybreak Toy Box" collection containers in Toys R Us stores.

Toys can only be donated during store opening hours from Monday 18th November to the close of business on Monday 25th November 2013.

Toys donated must be brand new in original sealed packaging with label attached

Toys donated must be unbroken

Toys donated must be suitable for children under the age of 18

Toys donated must comply with Toy Safety Regulations 2011

Toys donated should have a CE marking together with the address of the manufacturer on the packaging

Toys donated must be purchased from a reputable retailer

Toys donated must have been purchased in the UK

Toys must be donated by persons over the age of 18

Text Santa raises money and awareness for six UK based charities offering life-changing services to people near you. This years chosen charities are Age UK, Barnardo's, BeatBullying, British Heart Foundation, CLIC Sargent and Help the Hospices.

Ant & Dec, Phillip Schofield & Holly Willoughby and Christine Bleakley & Paddy McGuinness are the presenter line-up for Text Santa, ITV's annual charity appeal, broadcasting on Friday 20 December.

Text Santa is an important part of ITVs Corporate Responsibility programme, using its reach to millions of people to help inspire, engage and empower viewers to make a difference. The organisation does not make any profit from the appeal and is proud that, with investment from ITV and support from Text Santas partners and supporters, 100% of donations made by viewers go directly to the charities Text Santa supports.

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/mark-wright-brings-festi...
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