A ‘PUB crawl’ with a difference is aiming to help poorer children across Denbighshire to experience the joy of receiving presents on Christmas Day.

Volunteers dressed as Santa, elves and reindeers will visit pubs, stores and supermarkets across Rhyl to raise donations for North Wales Superkids’ Toy Box Appeal, which is providing about 2,500 children with bags of toys this month.

The charity’s work is not too distant from that of Santa himself, providing up to 30,000 toys across the region each year and working up to 7pm on Christmas Eve for last-minute emergency referrals.

“You have to imagine waking up as a three- or four-year-old who believes in Father Christmas to find there are no toys for you,” said Richard Kendrick, organiser and Rhyl fundraiser for NWS. “How would that affect you for the rest of your life?

“Some families have got to choose between feeding kids and putting the heating on, that’s how bad it is at the moment.

“There are other children whose parents have just died and they are being looked after their grandparents, but they don’t have kids’ toys and can’t afford to buy any.”

The ‘pub crawl’ began in 2014 and the last event in 2019 raised £500.

The charity, which helps disadvantaged people aged up to 25, was launched by former Denbighshire council worker Margaret Williams, who has been awarded an MBE for her work.

Children can be referred to the charity by a wide range of social, health and education agencies in North Wales if their family is in financial hardship.

Demand for its services has grown this year, with one Rhyl school referring 23 pupils compared to just one pupil last year.

“It can be a hard time at Christmas anyway, an emotional time, especially if families are struggling, so this gives a goodwill feeling to parents and releases so much pressure off them over Christmas,” Richard added.

He has secured a license from Denbighshire County Council for the appeal, which starts at the Vale pub at 1pm.

They will have buckets for donations, while people can donate toys to the White Rose Centre, Ysgol Brynhedydd, Wilkos and Six Bells pub.

Donations can also be made via the North Wales Superkids website.