The Salvation Army anticipate even greater demand for their festive toy appeal this year, as people across the social spectrum face redundancy and hardship in the face of the financial impact of COVID-19. Maureen Pentland, coordinator of the Christmas Toy Appeal, is asking for toys for 10 year-olds and under, and it is requested that they be new and unwrapped.

The initiative will be run within strict government guidelines and toys will be separately bagged and quarantined for 72 hours before being made available to boys and girls hoping for a gift on Christmas Day.

The Telegraph is a big supporter of the toy appeal and, in that spirit, here are five pictures that show the great work the Salvation Army has done in the past to make their Christmas Toy Appeal a success.

Pic1:

The Telegraph has been a dropping-off point for the Salvation Army Toy Appeal for many years and this pic shows the Tele's Fiona Taylor with Salvation Army coordinator Maureen Pentland, along with the many toys donated back in the year 2000. The shot was taken in the army's hall on Greenock's Regent Street, one of the donation points for this year's collection.

Pic2:

Tha challenge of struggling families giving a child a gift for Christmas was made that much easier thanks to the hard work of the Salvation Army, Inverclyde Foodbank and generosity of local people in 2012. Donations helped feed 100 families and provide toys for 300 children in the Inverclyde area. Captain Lucy Mann is seen here with some of the toys that would make all the difference to a child's Christmas.

Pic3:

A busy army of volunteers worked tirelessly to bag up and hand out 76 toy packages to be opened up by excited children on Christmas Day in 2011. Donations were handed in to the Salvation Army in Regent Street, the Superdrug outlet in Greenock's Oak Mall and the Greenock Telegraph office.

Pic4:

Greenock Tele reporter Paul John Coulter was tasked in 2015 with handing over the items deposited at our offices by generous readers of the paper. Paul helped Maureen Pentland fill her car with Christmas goodies that were ferried in separate loads to the Salvation Army headquarters in Greenock.

Pic5:

This picture demonstrates the the goodwill and generosity of Inverclyde people when it comes to helping others less fortunate. The toys seen here were only a small part of the many donations brought to the Salvation Army in 2013. Although we in Inverclyde have faced many challenges due to the coronavirus outbreak it is hoped that, once more, we step up and give generously to this wonderful cause.