Leading up to last Christmas we received a mountain of donated goods for our annual Toys ‘n’ Tucker appeal. It was great having so many churches, schools, youth groups, businesses and individuals recognise the needs of people in our communities.

One such group was the Christ Church Inner West Anglican Community (CCIW). Organised by Scott Pooke and Leo Chen, this was the third year their community of churches rolled up their sleeves and connected with their neighbourhoods of Ashfield, Five Dock and Haberfield.

This year the response was unprecedented. Scott could not believe the amount donated and was thrilled by many of the stories of those who contributed. “One of our donors is a 93 year old woman who is legally blind. She hand-knitted 35 toys for children! I’ve been blown away by people’s generosity.”

Senior Minister, Andrew Katay, also tells a story of how the church is developing a good reputation in the community. “One of our girls invited a friend to youth group. When her friend asked permission from her father, he gladly agreed. He said, ‘that’s the church that does Toys ‘n’ Tucker isn’t it? They must be doing good work
in our community!’ ”

CCIW is just one example of a host of supporters who made Christmas a little more special for those who were struggling. Thank you to all those who made Toys ‘n’ Tucker such a great success.