By buying a new toy for a disadvantaged child this Christmas you could help someone like 18-month-old Josh Dawson.

The youngster is living at Border House hostel with his mum, Rebecca Church, 20, and dad Shaun Dawson, 19.

Rebecca, who is pregnant, has been living in hostels in the city since leaving her mum's house in Thurmaston when she was 16.

She said: "It was arguments with the family that started it and it went from there.

"You move out of home and into hostels and you're stuck in the cycle.

"Me and Josh's dad, Shaun, just want a place of our own and to be able to take care of ourselves but we're stuck."

Josh will be one of several youngsters at Border House receiving presents through the Toys on the Table scheme, which is this year's Mercury Christmas appeal.

Rebecca said: "There are lots of mums here who can't afford to put money away for their kids.

"What they get from Toys on the Table could be the only present they get this Christmas."

On Christmas Day, families will get together at the hostel's Corner Club and each child will receive two presents.

Rachel Biddles, a support worker at the hostel, said: "Toys on the Table is amazing.

"All the presents come here individually wrapped and all the children get their own.

"It makes their Christmas. Some families have turned up here with nothing but the clothes they're wearing and we try to make it special and make them feel at home.

"We organise a Christmas party where we dish out the presents and some poor male member of staff is put in the Father Christmas costume."

Emma Wood, who runs Corner Club, said: "Toys on the Table is really great for everyone here because living in a hostel is not like having a home – it's very basic with tiled floors and no pictures on the walls.

"At Corner Club we provide an opportunity for families to socialise and children to play together and I think that helps.

"Toys on the Table also makes a big difference at what can be a very difficult time for families.

"Some are people who never expected to find themselves in a hostel like this. Some become homeless because their landlord hadn't paid the mortgage and lost the property."

This year, we are asking readers to help us reach a total of 8,000 donated toys to send out to the neediest youngsters.

Collection points are located all over the county, with most of them at Eastcliffe News shops.

See the list on this page for the 32 locations announced so far and please make your donation as soon as possible.

If you want to tell us how Toys on the Table has helped you, call reporter Tom Mack on 0116 222 4264.

Get involved: Where to drop off donations

Leicester Mercury, St George Street, Leicester

Radio Leicester, St Nicholas Circle, Leicester

County Hall, Leicester Road, Glenfield

Millennium Fish Bar, Saffron Lane, Leicester

Harborough FM, Fernie Road, Market Harborough

Harborough Mail, Northampton Road, Market Harborough

Eastcliffe News shops:

Bell Street, Wigston;

High Street, Barwell;

Belvoir Road, Coalville;

Croft Road, Cosby;

The Bank, Countesthorpe;

Station Road, Countesthorpe; Mill Lane, Enderby;

Downing Drive, Evington;

High Street, Fleckney;

High Street, Kibworth;

Turnbull Drive, Leicester;

Baxter Gate, Loughborough;

Sherrard Street, Melton;

St Mary’s Place, Market

Harborough;

Coventry Road, Narborough;

London Road, Oadby;

Rosemead Drive, Oadby;

The Parade, Oadby;

Melton Road, Oakham;

Woodgate, Rothley;

Field Street, Shepshed;

Linden Drive, Lutterworth;

High Street, Uppingham;

Silver Street, Whitwick;

Kelmarsh Avenue, Wigston;

Main Street, Market Bosworth