Customers’ generosity sees Northampton pub's Christmas toy appeal reach 100 present milestone

A Northampton pub has thanked its customers’ generosity after a huge response to its toy appeal.

The Trumpet in Wellingborough Road, Weston Favell has collected more than 100 presents for children including Lego, Scalextric and games.

The Salvation Army will now deliver the gifts to families to make sure children have a present to wake up to on Christmas Day morning.

Staff at the pub were keen to support the campaign to put a smile on children’s faces this year, despite their own industry suffering so much this year.

Manager of The Trumpet Steve Carter said: “There were so many things we could have done, with food banks or helping the homeless, but a lot of places are helping food banks so we wanted to support something else.

“Parents have been furloughed or have lost their jobs and I know that some parents are at home worrying about whether they can put a present under the tree this year or not.

“And Christmas is about kids and families so we wanted to support a toy appeal.

“One of our team member’s mum is a captain at The Salvation Army so we decided to get on board with their collection to help struggling families.

“We wanted to help people even though we have had a tough year as there are people in a far worse positions.”

Steve and his team started asking customers to support the appeal just before the second national lockdown.

Despite the closure, the pub has still managed to collect more than 100 toys, thanks to the generosity of customers.

Steve added: “The response when we reopened the doors after the lockdown was amazing.

“The donations really blew our minds.

“We’ve had more toys dropped off since The Salvation Army collected, so they will come back to collect them today, but we have got to end the collection unfortunately so we want to thank everyone who donated.

“It has been a tough year, but it’s things like this that restore your faith especially as people have gone out their way to drop toys off.

“It has been really humbling.”

Steve and his team are also working on a plan to send 20 hot meals to carers at St John’s residential home opposite the pub as a Christmas treat this week.

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