RESIDENTS in Southampton are being asked to donate Christmas gifts to children and families in poverty.

For its eighth year, package company Access Self Storage Southampton have invited people to drop off new toys for the S.C.R.A.T.C.H charity, which stands for Southampton City and Region Action to Combat Hardship.

It comes as part of a bid to beat their previous Christmas Charity Appeal record, when 250 new toys were collected for the poverty support charity, and were given to underprivileged children in time for Christmas.

Access Self Storage Southampton Manager Stuart Beyer said: “We are delighted to be working with the S.C.R.A.T.C.H team again this year and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who gets involved donating gifts for the children they look after. We look forward to greeting everyone popping in with donations, in 2016 we collected 250 new toys and we would love to smash this record this year with your help."

More than 18,500 gifts have been donated to dozens of charities by Access Self Storage teams over the last eight years.

Annette Davis of S.C.R.A.T.C.H said: “We depend on our local community for volunteers and donations so we can continue the great work we do. Having worked with Access for so many Christmas campaigns now, the team feels very much part of our own and we really appreciate the donation of the storage space to gather toys. All the gifts donated will mean the world to these children as many have very little. We are so grateful for any gift, big or small.”

All donations can be left at the reception of Access Self Storage Southampton, on Third Avenue in Millbrook, where they will be stored safely until they are delivered to S.C.R.A.T.C.H after the 13th of December.