A NEW Brighton community team has spread Christmas joy by delivering cash and toy donations to three schools in Wirral.

The New Brighton Coastal Community Team was set up in 2015 as part of an initiative from Wirral Council and the government to set up new coastal community groups.

In 2020, the government dropped the initiative but the community team, which is made up of around 40 members, continued to meet once a month.

For Christmas, the group decided to come together to raise money and collect toys for children at local Primary Schools.

Speaking to the Globe, Sean Martin, the chair of the group, said: "Things have just got worse this year. More and more kids are going to school hungry.

"One of our members called round three local Primary Schools to ask if things were worse and we were horrified to find out how much worse they were."

READ > Figures reveal hundreds of Wirral children in need of support this Christmas

A few weeks ago, the group decided to raise some money for the schools and allow them to identify who needed them most.

They then decided to set up three donation stations for a toy appeal at Seacombe Ferry Terminal, Wallasey Library and St Peter and St Paul's Church, New Brighton.

Sean added: "We got a great immediate response.

"We were overwhelmed with the kindness of people and their donations."

The group raised £1750 and collected around 70 toys for pupils in need at New Brighton, Riverside and Kingsway Primary School.

Sean said: "One was a family who newly arrived in the area and they were just in tears because they were really struggling.

"It encourages you to get going a bit earlier next year and do it again."