The organising committee are delighted to launch the 22nd year of building the famous ‘Toy Mountain’ in Newry, having raised some £1.6m over the last 21 years.
The committee are working feverishly in the background to ensure that, as in every other year, that no child in the Greater Newry Area will go without a toy this Christmas.
With the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the organising committee has taken the reluctant decision that the annual Newry Business Charity Christmas Dinner will not take place again this year.
At the time of planning, it was felt that it would be both precautionary and the safest approach to take to protect all patrons, the committee and the hospitality venue staff, given the ongoing situation.
This has left the committee with the decision to continue to run another ‘virtual’ fundraiser again this year.
In the absence of the annual dinner in the Canal Court Hotel, normally attended by some 700+ people each year, with each guest asked to bring a toy, the committee is reaching out to the business and wider community to make a donation or donate a toy to build this year’s toy mountain.
The toy mountain will rise again this year in the Canal Court Hotel on Friday 10th December 2021 with the support of patrons and colleagues throughout the business and wider community, reflecting in all its colourful glory the generosity in the spirit of Christmas that Newry has become synonymous for each year.
The committee would encourage everyone to get behind them this year and make this a happy Christmas for all our children.
They had an overwhelming success last year, given the difficult circumstances they had to face in fundraising. However, as always the community came out and supported them to help ensure that those children less fortunate received a toy on Christmas morning.
This has always been a community wide effort in support of Newry Hospice, St Vincent de Paul Society, The Salvation Army an many other charities in the area at a time when needs are most poignant.
They had lots of new fundraising initiatives start last year including local secondary schools building their own smaller Toy Mountains in school, which later became part of the large Toy Mountain.
They also had drop off points around Newry and the surrounding area, where toys can be donated.
They had businesses encourage staff to donate a toy instead of Secret Santa or in the absence of Christmas party nights, so a massive effort was made across the wider community to support them.
These new initiatives will continue and grow again this year as more schools and businesses get involved again.
If your school or business are interested in supporting them, please get in touch.
The committee are asking people to make a special effort to help them again this year, to give as if it were their own children facing a cold empty Christmas. The St Vincent de Paul Society and Salvation Army depend on your generosity.
They have two methods of donating or giving:
You can donate cash via their GoFundMe page HERE.
There is also there are a number of locations in Newry that toys can be dropped off at.
Toy drop-off points this year:
- Newry Reporter, Margaret Street, Newry
- Jack Murphy Jewellers, Hill Street, Newry
- Bradley Estate Agents (Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor)
- The Quays Shopping Centre, Newry
- Buttercrane Shopping Centre, Newry
- Grant Fit Out, Carnbane Business Park, Newry
Honorary Consul of Poland in Northern Ireland, Jerome Mullen, along with present committee members Declan McChesney, Dr Gerard O’Hare have been involved with the Newry Christmas Charity Dinner initiative since it began over 21 years ago and are pleased to see the addition and dynamism of newer and continuous members Gemma Murphy, Anne Murphy, Katrina Quinn, Caroline Courtney, Robyn-May Quinn and Mary Doran.
From the initial concept when first launched, to this is the 22nd year, this event above all is about families and children at Christmas.
Christmas is a time of memories that stay with us all of our lives. For even one child to go disappointed on Christmas morning, is one too many.
In the Greater Newry Area because of the generosity of the spirit of Christmas, they have avoided any child being disappointed on Christmas morning for over 21 years.
To this same end, the Newry Business Christmas Charity Toy Mountain is more important this year than ever before, but they believe that the business and wider community stand ready to rise to the call, despite the challenges that we have all had to face during the past 18 months.
For further information, please contact:
Contact: Caroline Courtney
Phone: 07879 332 267
Email: newrychristmascharitydinner@gmail.com