PRESS readers have been thanked for their "unbelievable" response to our Christmas Toy Appeal.

Donations have flooded in to Dunfermline Foodbank who have been busy handing out gifts, food and Christmas treats to clients in the lead-up to the festive period.

This week, Provost Jim Leishman stopped off at the charity's Pitreavie warehouse to drop off toys and food bought by the Mary Leishman Foundation and two local businessmen on Wednesday.

Jim, along with Robert Stalker, from Blachere Illuminations, and David Brown, from DB Gas, handed over an array of toys and food.

"We saw the appeal and I was just talking to some of my friends and told them what I was going to do with the Mary Leishman Foundation and they said they would buy some too," said Jim.

"The message we are giving is toys are great for Christmas and it is a great appeal but once Christmas is over, the people are still needing food. We got toys and also got lots of food as well.

"We are asking people to keep giving food once Christmas is over."

Since the appeal was launched in the Press on November 17, kind-hearted West Fifers have been helping to ensure children in our communities can still get a gift this Christmas.

Dunfermline Foodbank's project manager, Sandra Beveridge, has been amazed at the huge response.

"It has been something else this December," she said. "I want to thank ExxonMobil, the Dunfermline Press, Jim from the Mary Leishman Foundation for coming and every single person in this area that has donated to the foodbank.

"We can not thank them enough. We were scared it was going to be a tough, tough Christmas and they have made it a very special Christmas.

"It has been unbelievable. Thank you so, so much. Although crazy, it has been very worthwhile to see the clients' faces and for them to go away with all the bags of food and toys and special treats for Christmas.

"I want to thank Jim and the Mary Leishman Foundation and Robert and Davie very much for their donations too. The stuff they gave us was amazing. The response to the toy appeal has been beyond our expectations and the stuff we got was unbelievable."

Sandra said she has already been receiving feedback from people who have been helped by the appeal.

"Every night we have been making sure everyone entering the foodbank has got a toy or a gift. It has been amazing," she added.

"We got a beautiful email from a client thanking everyone at the Dunfermline foodbank, all the volunteers, for helping her, making her feel so welcome because she was very upset and she was over the moon with the toys."

Press editor Simon Harris said: “Time and again, throughout the pandemic, we were privileged to report on the tremendous community spirit that flourishes in Dunfermline and West Fife and this is just yet another example.

“The Press is passionate about being a voice for the communities we serve and I knew that when it came to launching our appeal, our readers wouldn’t let us down.

“The response, however, has been nothing short of amazing and the generosity that has been shown in what are tough times for everyone at the moment, has been truly inspirational.”