GENEROUS residents have donated 12,000 toys for vulnerable children across Essex in just over a fortnight.

Kind-hearted cops at Essex Police launched their Community Christmas Giving Tree initiative for the first time last year and saw 1,300 presents collected and distributed to 164 families within Tendring.

Following its success, Superintendent Lily Benbow, who brought the initiative with her from London when she joined as Tendring’s district commander last year, widened it to take place across the whole county this Christmas.

She was staggered by the response to the appeal, which saw 12,000 toys donated in just over two weeks.

Gazette:

Some of the thousands of toys collected

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s initiative has utilised the Amazon wish list but people could still take presents to a Covid-secure police station.

Superintendent Lily Benbow said: “It’s an amazing total, I never dreamed we’d get so many. People have been so very kind.

“Children have bought gifts with their pocket money and some older people have said they used some of their Winter Fuel Allowance because it hasn’t been very cold recently and everyone has agreed it’s for such a good cause.

"And presents are still arriving at our stations but, don’t worry, we’ll find a good home for them.

“To everyone who has donated, I just want you all to know that your wonderful generosity will provide some Christmas cheer for children and young people who have very little."

Gazette:

PCSO Angie Mulholland wraps presents donated for children

“Thankfully, working with our partners, we got most of the presents to children and young people last week before most of the county went into Tier 4.

“This week, our partners will be continuing deliveries as part of their normal visits.

"We’ll give some of the remaining gifts to young victims of crimes such as burglary and domestic abuse over the festive season, where it’s appropriate, and the rest we’ll deliver when we go back down the tiers."

Officers and staff worked with children's social carers, local councils, charities, churches, schools, refuges, foodbanks, hospital children’s wards, hospices and social housing developments to make sure all presents donated go to a good home.