After last year’s wonderful response, the Bega District News, in conjunction with several community organisations, is once again hosting a Christmas Toy Drive and is asking for your goodwill.

The response from the community last year was massive, with hundreds of toys piling up in the BDN office during the campaign.

We are hoping to better that effort this year, with the call-out now spreading to Merimbula and Tathra’s warm-hearted souls.

Already soft toys, bikes and other children’s gifts have started making their way to the Bega District News office.

From now until December 20, we are calling on readers, local businesses and the wider community to help us help those less fortunate by purchasing toys and gifts and placing them, unwrapped, under our office Christmas tree.

Collection points have also popped up around the towns as local businesses get on board, for which we are very grateful.

On the streets collecting from local businesses are Bega Rotary, Bega Lions, Sapphire Coast Ulysses Club and Pambula-Merimbula Lions.

As well as the BDN tree, collection points are also at the Merimbula News Weekly office, Tathra Beach Country Club and NAB Bega.

As last year, ideally we are looking for toys or gifts suitable for children from toddlers through to 15-year-olds, boys and girls.

Think soft toys and dolls, books and craft supplies, footballs and fishing rods.

Don’t wrap them, just place them under our Christmas tree and on December 20 they will collected by Bega St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army and the Bega Hospital to be distributed to kids in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile, brightly painted Christmas decorations prepared by the Bega Lions have taken pride of place along Carp St businesses – with a little assistance from VRA volunteers!