Councillors are making donations to the Christmas Toy Appeal - and urging their constituents to do the same.

Cllr Ken Clark, cabinet member for building communities, public affairs, regeneration and planning, made the plea after presenting a raft of toys and games to Community Links on behalf of Newham Council.

Cllr Clark said: “We firmly believe that every Newham child matters.

“This is why I am delighted to have been able to make a donation on behalf of the council’s Community Neighbourhood Teams.”

He said that the charity and the team share a common goal of developing a strong community spirit and encouraging residents to become more involved in their area.

Cllr Clark added: “I hope as many people as possible also support this worthy cause so we can make Christmas special for the borough’s disadvantaged children.”

Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, will also be making his own annual donation to the charity in the next few weeks, joining other well-known donors such as West Ham manager Slaven Bilic and players Andy Caroll, Dmitri Payet, Angelo Ogbonna, Simone Zaza and Mark Noble.

If you would like to join their ranks, simply take some toys to any of the drop-off points listed on the right - which include all of the council’s libraries and community centres.

Ideally gifts should not promote war or violence, and be both fun and educational.

If you would prefer to donate money instead, please make your cheques or postal orders payable to Community Links Trust.