Final Count Reveals 57,000 Toys Collected for St Vincent de Paul by RTÉ 2fm Toy Appeal

Final Count Reveals 57,000 Toys Collected for St Vincent de Paul by RTÉ 2fm Toy Appeal in association with SuperValu.

RTÉ 2fm joined forces again late last year with leading charity St Vincent de Paul, and SuperValu, for the nation's biggest ever Christmas charity toy appeal. Latest figures now reveal that some 57,000 toys were collected for the appeal, almost trebling the number of toys collected the previous year. In addition, €100,000 was donated in online ''virtual toy'' cash donations via SVP.ie and the 2fm Toy Appeal website.

Says John McMahon, Head of RTÉ 2fm: "2fm rang-out the Toy Appeal message loud and clear in the run-up to Christmas. The result is really astonishing and completely unexpected in the context of the economic challenges so many people are facing. The fact that donations more than trebled is a tribute to all our listeners."

Mairead Bushnell, National President, Society of St Vincent de Paul, says: "The generosity of the RTÉ 2fm listeners was truly outstanding. All of the toys, games, vouchers, music, books and cinema tickets donated were put to good use. Not only did children and teenagers in their family homes receive a visit from Santa but children in hospitals and away from home also received an unexpected gift. In some cases homeless or estranged parents were able to visit their family homes at Christmas with a gift that otherwise they may not have been able to afford. We are extremely grateful to everyone in RTÉ 2fm, SuperValu and the many businesses who organised collection points for this outstanding event. The time and dedication they, along with our own volunteers and staff, put into the appeal was tremendous."

The campaign came in the wake of startling figures from St Vincent de Paul, who say that calls for help to the SVP regional offices have almost doubled over the past three years. Listeners were able to donate toys at SuperValu's 193 stores nationwide; others donated online at www.2fm.ie/toyappeal and www.svp.ie/appeal-2011/2fm-toy-appeal

Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, said: "SuperValu was delighted to support the RTÉ 2fm Toy Appeal again. 25,000 toys were collected via our store network in 2010. We are over the moon that upwards of 57,000 toys have been collected in the latest appeal. What really appeals to us about this initiative is that the toys donated locally stay local, and with stores at the heart of 193 communities nationwide, this just goes to prove that we have most of the country covered."