Unclaimed toys left on the London Underground will be given to children who would otherwise go without any this Christmas. The donation of over 100 new toys was made to the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Present Appeal by Transport for London’s (TfL) lost property department.
The toys at TfL’s Lost Property Department in West Ham (c) Salvation Army
Over the last decade, the company’s Lost Property Department has been giving unclaimed items left on the transport network to The Salvation Army’s Hoxton church – with new toys stored throughout the year and donated to the church and charity shortly before Christmas.
Hoxton Salvation Army has one of the largest Christmas Present Appeals in the country, with 8,000 toys given to children last year. Due to a rise in demand, this number is expected to increase to closer to 10,000 this year.
Diana Quaye, Performance Manager of TfL’s Lost Property Office, said: “We are really passionate about ensuring that any items lost on our network but not reunited with their owners are made use of in some capacity. Being able to provide a Christmas donation to The Salvation Army out of these unclaimed products is something my team and I look forward to doing each year as we know what a difference they can make.
“We handle thousands of items of lost property every year, and if anyone loses any item while on our services this festive period, please remember to report it via our website. There is a good chance we just might be able to reunite you.”
The Lost Property Department is marking its 90th anniversary this year and recently moved to a new building next to the West Ham bus garage.
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