THE Dorset Echo is today launching its second appeal to try and ensure every needy child gets a toy for Christmas.

And we are counting on your generosity to help us reach our target.

We were overwhelmed with the response last year when we collected almost 4,000 gifts for local youngsters.

But we were also amazed at the number of children living in this seemingly affluent area who are in genuine need.

Hundreds of youngsters living in our midst will get few - if any - presents this Christmas.

They may be from broken homes; they may be neglected; their parents may be suffering psychological or psychiatric problems or there may simply not be enough money to go around.

Many are living in care or with their mothers in women's refuges.

And our appeal last year made a huge difference.

Its success was summed up by a simple letter of thanks from a six-year-old girl who lives in Weymouth with her two younger siblings and their mother.

She said: "Thank you for giving me my doll and playhouse. It was my best ever Christmas. My brother and sister also got lovely toys and we all share them."

While many of us will be splashing out on bicycles and computer games a simple cuddly toy could mean so much to someone who is expecting nothing.

So yet again we have teamed up with local shops to collect as many toys as we can.

There will be special Dorset Echo Toy Appeal bins in each shop where you can donate a toy the next time you are out shopping.

And Dorset Social Services will again be helping us to ensure that the toys you donate will go to the children who need them most.

Each and every one will go to a child who otherwise may have had very little to celebrate this Christmas.

We do not expect anything extravagant.

But we are asking for NEW toys to ensure everyone has something special this festive season.

And please do not wrap the presents. It will help us to match the right toys with the right children.

Every little bit - no matter how little - helps.

Last year we received many letters of thanks from parents, carers, social services and from the youngsters themselves thanking you - our readers - for making Christmas that bit more special.

David Joannides, director of Dorset Social Services, said: "Echo readers responded to last year's Christmas toy campaign with great generosity and hundreds of children were thrilled to receive the toys they donated.

"We're very happy to work with the Echo again this year to help make sure the toys go to children who will really appreciate them."

The organisations that we liaised with to distribute the toys told us that the children were overwhelmed on Christmas morning when they received the unexpected presents.

There were children from broken homes, children in care, children living in women's refuges, children with special needs and children whose parents could simply not afford something special at Christmas.

You - our readers - made it all possible and now we are asking you to do it all over again ... please.

We also had tremendous co-operation from local stores without whose help the appeal would not have been possible.

They are all participating again, plus some new ones, so we would urge you to support all the businesses who are taking part in the appeal.

The collection bins will be prominently displayed in all stores, so the next time you are out shopping we would urge you to buy an extra gift, no matter how small or inexpensive, and drop it in one of the bins.

A spokesman for the Outlooks Project on Portland, which helps disadvantaged families, said: "The Outlooks project really appreciated the care and thought that went into choosing the toys and games.

"I am sure the many children who benefited from receiving them would also want to express their thanks to all concerned."

And a spokesman for Weymouth's Women's Refuge said: "All the mums and children would like to say a big thank you to all the readers of the Dorset Echo who gave the superb toys to the toy appeal."

This year we will be helping those organisations and several others who help to look after disadvantaged families and their children.