A Didcot-born charity, which has been spreading Christmas cheer, joy and smiles for a decade, has launched it's tenth anniversary festive appeal.

Play2Give, an Oxfordshire-charity founded by Didcot brain injury survivor Andrew Baker, honoured with an MBE in 2021, launched the Sleigh2Give appeal to collect toys for children spending the festive season in hospital.

Mr Baker said: "Sleigh2Give was just meant to be that one off toy collection in 2015 with Sainsbury's in Didcot and people just took it to their hearts.

“Each year my pile of gifts has just continued to grow and grow and the support never fails to amaze.

"The kindness and love of the entire Oxfordshire community and even beyond has been heartwarming and Play2Give can't say thank you enough to all those who've donated or contributed in some way over the past decade."

He said: "We hope to make this the best Christmas collection yet to help celebrate this very special appeal in style, by being able to gift out even thousands more to spread even more cheer, joy and smiles far and wide."

To date more than £320,000 worth of gifts has been collected and distributed, with donations even coming last year from as far as Plymouth. 

Andrew, 36, has dedicated half of his life to fundraising through his charity to help those causes close to his heart.

This year Andy and the Play2Give team hope to match last year's record-breaking £50,000 worth of gifts. 

This year Play2Give has funded a new extra-ventricular drainage system at the children's hospital which will save children's lives having brain surgery, after raising more than £16,000 alone for the Children's Hospital.

Money raised last year is also helping to fund the refurbishment of a family room at Oxford's Sobell House and helping to fund Oxford Head Injury Services.