A KIND-HEARTED Kilwinning fundraiser has kicked off the 10th annual Christmas gift appeal for kids in Crosshouse.

Donations to the festive collection can be handed in to The Lemon Tree, Abbey Gates, Co-op in Kilwinning Main Street as well as Lunar beauty and training academy in Kilmarnock.

Organiser Michael Kirkum said the hospital requested Nintendo switch games, colouring books/crayons, baby teddies, baby comforters and the usual selection boxes.

They recently received a fantastic donation from For the Weans in Saltcoats’s with 48 baby comforters for the ward.

Michael said: “This year with the fuel crisis, food crisis and every other kind, there’s more groups looking for stuff – I work in a shop myself so I can see these things daily.

“This is our decade now, it’s our 10th year. I feel as there’s more people looking for donations because of these crisis, they’re even setting up warmth hubs now, and that’s scary.

“It’s good to get the kids something to look forward to, it’s getting harder for them at home so it’s getting something nice for them while their in hospital and making things a wee bit better for them.

“The hospital had sent a message back and what they would really like is colouring books and crayons, selection boxes obviously. Baby comforters is another thing they have asked for, a wee blanket, as well as teddy bears.

“The biggest thing this year is Nintendo Switch games, they’ve got a few of the consoles at the hospital but low on games.

“The collection we got last year was amazing it was about £5,000 worth of stuff, it was like wow.

“We’ve got about 12 weeks to go but it’s more like 10 as we like to give it two weeks. It’s mostly only the Fridays I’ve got for organising, it goes in that quick.

“It does make a difference. I can appreciate that it is tough times for people and we’re looking to see how many people we can help for our 10th year.

“We’re trying to get as many people as we can and have been inundated with requests as things are hitting hard. Hopefully can bring a bit of happiness for the kids an get a much as we can.”