THERE is now less than two weeks left to donate to this year’s Toy Appeal.

And in a bid to secure more toys the Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole has got involved once again to ensure that no child goes without a gift under the Christmas tree.

Not only will the shopping centre’s management team be donating toys to the appeal, they have also agreed to use the shopping centre as another collection point.

This means when shoppers at the centre are out buying their Christmas presents, they can easily buy an extra one and drop it in the collection box under the Christmas tree near the escalators. A number of generous retailers from the centre have also agreed to donate a range of goodies to the appeal, including M&S, Hawkins Bazaar, Argos, Beales, Wilko, Boots, HMV, Poundland, Calendar Club and WHSmith.

John Grinnell, centre manager, said: “We’re more than delighted to be involved with the Toy Appeal this year.

“As the area’s largest shopping centre, we feel that we are in a fantastic position to be able to encourage our shoppers to donate items via our collection box in the centre.

“Our retailers always put themselves forward to donate items and we hope that with our help, more children in the area will receive a Christmas present this year.”

The appeal, which aims to ensure needy youngsters across the county have a present to open this Christmas, is now in its 20th year.

So far we have been blown away by the generosity of some of readers who have dropped off their gifts at the Daily Echo offices in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, and our Swanage office in Commercial Road.

But we still need more donations to help us bring a little festive magic to sick and disadvantaged children.

The Echo is once again working in partnership with NatWest, which helped make last year’s appeal was one of the best yet.

The presents will be distributed through organisations and charities including the Bournemouth and Kinson and West Howe foodbanks, the Salvation Army, Townsend Children’s Centre and Amelia’s Rainbow Fund to ensure that everyone in need will have a present this Christmas.

The Toy Appeal will run until Friday, December 16 so we can get all the gifts wrapped and ready for Christmas delivery.

How to donate a gift

FOR anyone wanting to donate to this year’s Daily Echo toy Appeal, but not sure where to drop off toys here is a list of all our collection points.

To donate toys specifically for Amelia’s Rainbow Fund go to the following locations:

4Com - Aviation Park West, Christchurch

Store and Secure - Castlepoint, Bournemouth

Top Cat Media - The Creative Quarter, Scotter Road, Bournemouth

MK Estates & Lettings - Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth

The Funky Peach, Ashley Road, Poole

Gifts for all our charities will also be collected at the Daily Echo offices in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, and our Swanage office in Commercial Road.

There will also be collection bins at NatWest branches in Bournemouth, Westbourne, Poole High Street, Upper Parkstone, Canford Cliffs, Broadstone, Wimborne, Boscombe, Southbourne, Winton, Castlepoint, Christchurch and New Milton.

And of course the new collection box at the Dolphin Shopping Centre which will be located under the main tree near the escalators.

Anyone who would like to give a toy to a specific charity, please label your donation.