In six weeks, more than £70,000 has been raised to buy toys for children who are from low-income families, in foster care, residential care homes, refuges or hospitals. Staff from the Met and partners including local authorities and schools delivered the toys to children throughout December, so they would have them today. Met Christmas Tree Appeal lead, Rebecca Pritchard, said: “On behalf of the Met, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who donated. You have made a child’s Christmas.” It’s not too late to donate to the appeal, which remains open until 31 December. Money received from today will be funnelled into projects to provide practical and emotional support to vulnerable children throughout the new year. Earlier this week, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley personally thanked three children who designed posters to promote the Met Christmas Tree Appeal, at New Scotland Yard. These were overall winner, Angelique Bass, age seven – a pupil at St Barnabas’ Church of England Primary School in Pimlico – second-place-winner Daniel Stonebridge, 10, of St Mary’s Church of England Primary School in Southall, and third place winner Michel Campana-Roman, aged nine, from St Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Westminster
