Marks and Spencer donates 20,000 toys worth £225k to The Sun’s Smiles at Christmas campaign to help needy children
The store's record donation will be split between four charities supporting vulnerable kids over the festive period
MARKS & Spencer yesterday donated 20,000 toys for needy children as part of our Smiles At Christmas appeal.
Mrs Claus, star of the store’s Christmas campaign, arranged the last-minute dispatch worth £225,000 — a record donation for M&S — after a Twitter plea from The Sun.
On Friday morning, The Sun sent out a speculative tweet to the sassy character, writing: “’Tis the season for giving and we need some more toys for #SmilesAtChristmas.
“A worthy cause for Mrs Claus?”
Father Christmas' wife got back to us quickly saying she was keen to help and then arranged for a dispatch of the toys yesterday.
She made two deliveries on M&S lorries worth £225,000.
Text: To give £2, text KIDS55 2 to 70070. You can change the amount to £3, £4, £5 or £10 by changing the last figure to 3, 4, 5 or 10.
Or tweet using #SmilesAtChristmas to let us know how you’re getting involved!
Plus British Gas-owners Centrica piled in with a sizeable five-figure sum, and web giant Amazon offered a cash donation plus 50 Kindle tablet computers worth £50 each.
Toys R Us encouraged customers to join in by buying and extra toy and donating it in special collection bins in shops.
Those toys are also being delivered back to Sun HQ for distribution.
Meanwhile McColl’s, the chain of convenience stores, also had special sacks in every shop so Sun readers could donate toys to our appeal.