• Swindon & Wiltshire Social
• Monday December 1 2025

Financial planners donate £500 of toys to appeal

Swindon’s Christmas Toy Appeal has received £500 worth of toys from the team at Wroughton-based financial planner Southby & Co.

The annual appeal aims to help families across the town who may otherwise wake up to very little on Christmas morning.

It ran from 10 November to 1 December and brought together people, schools, churches and businesses across Swindon to collect brand new toys for babies and children up to the age of 17.

Last year, 420 families took home three main presents, a book, a soft toy and a handful of stocking fillers for more than 830 children.

A 2024 report showed the need for support is rising. Around 27.5 per cent of households in Swindon with children under 18 were living in poverty. Nationally, 4.5 million children across the UK were living in relative poverty in 2023 to 2024. Numbers like this mean appeals such as this one are becoming more important every year.

Dave Southby said: “We’ve bought £500 worth of toys to donate this year because Christmas can be a real struggle for some families.

“If a few presents from us help a child wake up to something special on Christmas morning then it’s worth doing.

“We’re very aware of how lucky we are and there are many families who aren’t in that position so this felt like a simple way for us to do our part.”

The team bought toys for a mix of ages, with a focus on older children who are often overlooked.

Donations included Squishmallows, footballs and wireless headphones. Cristina, who recently joined the business as an apprentice, helped coordinate the collection and drop off as part of the team effort.

This support sits alongside the ongoing charitable work done by Southby & Co. Earlier this year they began sharing a £5,000 community fund with local charities including The Kelly Foundation, Wiltshire Treehouse, Swindon Night Shelter and CALM.

The firm has also been named as a finalist for Professional Adviser Firm of the Year – South West for the second year in a row, placing them among the top performing financial planning businesses in the region.

Dave has taken part in a range of fundraising challenges over the years, from running events to long distance walks, often in fancy dress, and says these experiences have shown him how much difference even small acts of giving can make.

Families are referred to the Toy Appeal through local agencies, churches and schools. Each receives a personalised voucher which they can redeem at venues across Swindon in the run up to Christmas.

Volunteers will support sorting, packing and hosting days throughout early December.