I encourage residents and businesses to once again get behind an appeal for toys that will see youngsters most in need not missing out this Christmas.

I have again this year donated gifts to the annual appeal run by Canning Town charity Community Links and the Newham Recorder newspaper and hope others will do the same. The appeal has been run for 38 years and this year it needs to collect 15,000 toys to help almost 4,000 youngsters and their families.

I know this time of year is busy for everyone but I would ask that you spare a thought for this special, truly local appeal. Community Links aims to provide each child referred to it with a Christmas stocking of new gifts. This year the need is more acute than ever.

As a council we continue to do our bit to deal with the blight of inequality that begins early in people’s lives. That’s why we invest to ensure our children get the best possible start. Our children’s centres are doing a great job working with families and supporting parents when they need it.

And of course we have Newham’s Every Child programme. From music and sports to reading and theatre, we have free activities to help equip children with the skills, experiences and confidence to achieve their full potential – the same opportunities kids in more affluent areas get.

So as we approach Christmas let’s all stand up and make sure our children do not miss out. The Town Halls in East Ham and Stratford and libraries are acting as drop-off points during opening hours so please leave gifts there if you can help. All toys need to be new and unwrapped and can be for any age up to 16. For more information visit community-links.org.