2015-12-07
When you're doing your Christmas shopping this year, please spare a thought for the children who won't be celebrating because they're locked in immigration detention.
This year we're asking you to, once again, buy an extra toy for one of these children who need your help. Right now there are 4500 children who are either locked in detention centres in Australia, languishing on Nauru or living in limbo in the community.Please send the toys, unwrapped, to:
Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young - Toy Drive - Suite 7.05, Level 7, 147 Pirie Street, Adelaide, SA, 5000
(Or if you are in Melbourne, you can drop your gift into Sen. Janet Rice's office at 240 Sydney Rd, Coburg. The office is open for deliveries between 9am and 5pm.
You may also like to donate other goods. Please see the below lists for goods which will be accepted. Please note, all items must be brand new and unwrapped for inspection and sorting. Please do not send food goods of any kind. If you have any questions please e-mail senator.hanson-young@aph.gov.au with the subject 'Toy Drive' and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For children in detention facilities:
- Artwork – pencils, marking pens, paints, paintbrushes and drawing pads
- Games – UNO, cards, chess sets, backgammon, checkers, quoits, snakes & ladders, ludo, board games
- Sporting goods – rubber balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, yoyos (no skipping ropes)
- Household – alarm clocks, blankets
- Entertainment – tapes or CDs, DVDs, hand-held computer games, musical instruments
- Reading material – books, magazines, puzzles, dictionaries, English grammar books
- Clothing – sunglasses, sunhats, t-shirts, shorts, shoes, light scarves, tights
- Local and international phone cards
- Items for religious observance
For children in the community and community detention:
- Artwork – pencils, marking pens, paints, paintbrushes and drawing pads
- Games – UNO, cards, chess sets, backgammon, checkers, quoits, snakes & ladders, ludo, board games
- Sporting goods – rubber balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, yoyos
- Household – alarm clocks, blankets
- Entertainment – tapes or CDs, DVDs, hand-held computer games, musical instruments
- Reading material – books, magazines, puzzles, dictionaries, English grammar books
- Clothing – sunglasses, sunhats, t-shirts, shorts, shoes, light scarves, tights
- Local and international phone cards
- Items for religious observance
- Bibs – stain free plastic and fabric bibs with domes and no ties
- Blankets – for bassinettes or cots
- Activity mats or Baby gyms
- Pyjamas and sleepwear – must be new
- Bed sheets – must be new
- Gift cards from department stores such as Kmart, Big W and Target
- International calling cards (with good rates for Sri Lanka as well as African and Middle Eastern countries)
- Pots and pans (new or like new – e.g. cheap kitchenware packs at Kmart, Big W, Target etc)
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Toothbrushes
- Disposable nappies in unopened packs (preferably large and extra-large)
- Brand new linen sets in unopened packs
- Blankets (in Autumn and Winter)
- Mobile phones (new or used, with charger and batteries, all in working order)
- Selected baby items: new teething rings, maternity pads, nursing pads, nipple cream.