Police to provide Christimas joy for vulnerable Derbyshire children - see list of present drop-off sites

On Saturday, December 17 Derbyshire emergency services workers will lead a convoy of bikers to donate presents to vulnerable children.

Local charity, Safe and Sound has organised the toy run and provide Christmas joy for children.

Safe and Sound work with children who are at risk of child sexual exploitation. The charity works on raising awareness and education around exploitation and provides support and recovery to those vulnerable young people who suffer it.

The Toy Run involves UpRight Derbyshire bikers leading a convoy of bikes from the Pidcocks Motorcycles Store in Long Eaton to the head offices of Safe and Sound in Darley Abbey Mill.

A Derbyshire police spokesperson said: “This is where we need help from our community. As with previous years, we are asking for donations of gifts, which are greatly appreciated and directly help local vulnerable children.

“We kindly ask that any gifts donated that are wrapped, have what the gift is, written in pencil on the tag so that it can be paired with the perfect child. Any gifts given to the Fire stations donation points, should be left unwrapped.”

The majority of children and young people that Safe and Sound support are from eight-years-old through to 18 years and are more often girls than boys.

The charity does a lot of craft work with the children and young people that they support, so any craft materials, painting pebbles, clay, soap making or cookie decorating kits would be fantastic.

For the older children, gift vouchers for places such as Smyths, WHSmith, Primark or Boots would be great, along with activity vouchers for the cinema or bowling and toiletry sets for teenage boys and girls.

Derbyshire Police spokesperson added: “We are also asking for bikers to attend this event to take part in the convoy, as the plan is to get as many bikes and bikers as possible to attend wearing Christmas fancy dress. We would like to see as many Santas, elves or fairies as possible taking part, with the aim to draw as much attention as possible to Safe and Sound.”

The convoy will leave Pidcocks Motorcycle Store on Fields Farm Road in Long Eaton at 11am, though we expect to see bikers arrive from 10am.

Presents can be dropped at any of these locations:

• Safe & Sound offices - First Floor, East Mill, Darley Abbey Mills, DE22 1DZ

• Any of the Pidcock Motorcycles Stores in Long Eaton and Beeston.

• Any of the Thorneycroft Solicitors offices in Buxton, Whalley Bridge, Macclesfield and Holmes Chapel.

• Derbyshire Motorcycle School (DMS), Alfreton.

• MyMoto Derbyshire, Clay Cross.

• Triumphworld, Chesterfield.

• Bakewell Pet Supplies, Bakewell.

• You can also leave presents that are unwrapped at the following Fire Stations: Buxton Fire Station, Chesterfield Fire Station, Swadlincote Fire Station and Kingsway Fire Station.